Between Delphi and Delos: Paros and Apollo from Archilochus to Pindar

In this contribution,1 I will try to elucidate the relationship between the island of Paros and the Apolline sanctuaries of Delos and Delphi through the lens of lyric poetry, especially Archilochus and Pindar. Apollo, in fact, represents an important god in the pantheon of Paros, as Archilochus’ poetry first demonstrates; the Mnesiepes inscription also testifies to a sort of exclusive protection of the poet by Pythian Apollo. In fact, in the age of Archilochus, the Parians looked for the protection of Pythian Apollo, instead of Delian Apollo. Such a preference must be probably explained in the light of Paros’ colonizing effort in the seventh century (patronized by the oracle of Delphi) and by rival Naxos’ influence over Delos in the same period (as the erection of the oikos of the Naxians testifies).
However, things changed at the end of the sixth century because the Parian presence at Delos became more relevant, and a Delion was erected on Paros. Such a new orientation of Parian cult towards Delos is testified to by Pindar’s paean for the Parians (fr. 140a M.), which draws on local traditions in order to
reshape Parian history in the light of the new Delian hegemony