What do Greeks think is the center of Greece and the center of the world?

The Greeks believed that Delphi was the center of the Greek central world.

At that time, the traffic conditions were limited, and the world recognized by the ancients was much smaller than the real world. The ancient Greeks lived in the Mediterranean, and the world they knew was naturally near the Mediterranean.

Delphi is right in the center of Greece. It is located in Parnassus, Phocis, in the middle of the Greek Peninsula. No matter where it comes from, it is not too far away, extending in all directions, so it is not surprising that it is regarded as the center of the world by confident ancient Greeks.

Political status decision

Due to the large number of city-States, ancient Greece developed some complex international organizations, which were manifested in the form of alliances. There are many kinds of these alliances, some are leaders, some are equal and cooperative, some are strong regional, some are cross-regional, some are military and some are non-military. Among them, there is a kind of alliance with religious nature called the close neighbor alliance.

The so-called near-neighbor alliance is an alliance organization centered on the temple. The alliance holds regular meetings to discuss religious issues such as sacrifice and temple building, and of course, it also discusses inter-alliance and foreign-related affairs. There was more than one near-neighbor alliance in ancient Greece, but the most famous one was the Delphi near-neighbor alliance.

Neighborhood alliance is a religious group on the surface, but actually it is more like a political group. Its main value is to unite States to keep warm and resist foreign enemies. In this sense, it is not much different from most political alliances in Greece.

Delphi's neighborhood alliance is generally composed of 12 members, but this 12 member has experienced many changes in history, and its scope far exceeds the surrounding areas of Delphi. As a matter of fact, many Greek regions participated in the League meeting.

The role of the alliance is not limited to the allies, but involves all regions of Greece. Many important events in the Greek world need the participation of the alliance, which fully reflects its pan-Greek nature. Therefore, in a sense, the Delphi Near Neighborhood Alliance is very similar to the United Nations in the Greek world.

It is because of these factors that the ancient Greeks worshipped Delphi. Just as China thought the Central Plains was the center of the world, the ancient Greeks naturally thought Delphi was the center of the world.

At that time, tourists came to Delphi in an endless stream every year, some for sightseeing, some for worshipping God, some for fortune telling (seeking Oracle), and some for participating in the four-year Pythia Championship. Many dignitaries even spent a lot of money here to show their respect for God.