This is the Greek inscription on the trophy of the Greek cities winning the battle of Platea. Now it stands in Sultanahmet, Istanbul (column), Istanbul Museum (one of the former three snake heads) and Delphi (base, but not the one standing up, probably).
This trophy was made from the booty or taken as booty from the Persian camp after their defeat in Greece; consequently, as usual, it was set up in Delphi's Sanctuary. Later on this symbol of Greek victory over the overwelming Persian force was moved to Constantinople (Istanbul) , without the base, and was part of the central spine of the hippodrome of the new Capital. Finally the monument served as a fountain and generated several legends on the absence of snakes from the city, and one sad night some drunk men chopped the snake heads of, leaving us with what is now visible. This column still marks the deeds of the Greeks and it stands out even more after such a long and glorious history. The names of the Greek people figthing together are graffiti on the shaft in perennial memory.
Links
- A series of zoomable photos of the inscription from Poinikastas
- A short summary on the history of this object
