The Athenians dedicated this stoa folloing the victories against the Persians to thank Apollo, probably around 478BC.
It is 30m long and 4m deep. The 8 Ionic columns were made of Parian mable and placed every 4 metres. The roof was made of wood. On the top step we can still read the inscription saying that the Athenians dedicated this stoa and the cables and prows captured from the enemies (i.e. Persians). The Persians used these cables to tie the floating bridge that they used to cross the Hellespont.
The wall behind the row of column is so called polygonal wall and was built before the stoa. The use of polygonal stones interlocking each other is very particular and beautiful.
The inscriptions in tiny letters on this wall belong to the Hellenistic and Roman period and mostly about the manumission of slaves. Its number is as many as about 800.
The gold, ivory and bronze treasure in the room IV of the museum was found under the pavement in front of the stoa.
References
- Robin Barber, Greece (Blue Guide), London- N.Y. 2001 (Revised reprint of the 6th edition of 1995), pp. 397.
- Christopher Mee & Antony Spawforth, Greece (An Oxford Archaeological Guide). Oxford/ OUP, 2001, p. 307-309.
- Photios Petsas, Delphi : Monuments and Museum. Athens : Krene Editions, 2008, p. 47.
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