Delos is the sacred island of antiquity. It is located southwest of Mykonos, about 6 nautical miles away. It is a small barren island where, according to Greek mythology, Leto gave birth to Apollo and Artemis.
The myth says that Hera had cursed Leto, who was pregnant by Zeus, her husband, forbidding her from giving birth in any place touched by sunlight. Leto wandered and suffered until Poseidon took pity on her and revealed an island from the depths of the sea: Delos, meaning “the visible one,” a sunlit island. There, Apollo and Artemis were born. This small island later became an important religious and cultural center of antiquity.
More specifically, Delos was inhabited by Ionians during the 10th century BC. Around the 7th century BC, the island developed into a powerful religious and commercial center. Its geographical position, in the middle of the Aegean Sea, contributed greatly to its prosperity.
In 478 BC, the Athenians established the first Delian League and thus managed to dominate the islands of the Aegean. During this alliance, the Athenians decided to transfer the bones of all the dead buried on Delos to the neighboring island of Rhenia. Shortly afterward, they prohibited both births and deaths on the sacred island.
In 315 BC, the Macedonians put an end to Athenian rule. The island gained a certain degree of independence and trade flourished. With the arrival of the Romans, Delos entered a period of great prosperity. At that time, people of many different nationalities settled on the island.
In 88 BC, during the Mithridatic War, Delos was burned and destroyed. From then on, it was never inhabited again.
Nevertheless, it remained the sacred island of the Cyclades, home to extremely important antiquities. In fact, the entire island is essentially an archaeological site. Every day, excursion boats depart from Mykonos carrying visitors eager to admire these masterpieces of antiquity.
Among the highlights are the Stadium, the Theatre, the ruins of the ancient temples dedicated to Apollo, Artemis, and Hera, as well as the House of the Naxians. Also important are the sanctuaries of foreign deities, such as the Sanctuary of Isis and Serapis, worshipped by the Egyptians, the Sanctuary of the Syrian Gods, and that of the Cabeiri, all of which reveal the multicultural character of ancient Delos.
The most important buildings and sanctuaries you will see on the island include:
The Agora of the Competaliasts, located beside the harbor. It is one of the most important marketplaces of the Hellenistic city and dates from the end of the 2nd century BC. On its northern side stand the ruins of the Stoa of Philip and an Ionic temple dedicated to Hermes.
The Temple of the Delians is the largest of the three temples dedicated to Apollo. It is built in the Doric style, with six columns on each narrow side and thirteen columns on each long side. Construction began in 478 BC. However, when the treasury of the Athenian Alliance was transferred to Athens, construction works stopped. During the period of Delian Independence, an effort was made to continue building the temple, but unfortunately it was never completed.
The Terrace of the Lions is the island’s most photographed attraction. These famous marble lions were placed in a row to guard the Sacred Lake, which today has dried up. The lions were an offering from the people of Naxos and date back to the 7th century BC. Originally there were sixteen lions, but today only five survive, along with parts of three others, while the headless body of another lion decorates the Venetian Arsenal in Venice.
The House of Dionysus is a characteristic example of an ancient residence in Delos. It dates from the late 2nd century BC. It takes its name from the famous mosaic in the courtyard depicting Dionysus riding a panther. In the center of the courtyard there is an underground cistern, covered with another elaborate mosaic floor, where rainwater was collected. A stone staircase leads to the rooms on the first floor.