Athenian Treasury at Delphi

Originally built between 510 and 480 BC, and bearing on its podium an inscription that indicates that at least part of the construction was financed by the spoils taken at the battle of Marathon in 490 BC, the Athenian Treasury acted as a stage for wealthy Athenian citizens to display their lavish gifts to Apollo. The location of the Treasury along the Sacred Way in Delphi focused visitors’ attention on its gifts and impressive architectural style. The rectangular structure itself is of the Doric order and bore both pedimental sculpture and a frieze with thirty metopes. All that remains of the pedimental sculpture is a head (possibly belonging to Athena), but a number of metopes have survived. Their arrangement on the building is still a subject of debate, but it is clear that they represent two distinct mythical cycles: the exploits of Theseus and the labors of Herakles.