<P> The Pythia was established at the latest in the 8th century BC , and was widely credited for her prophecies inspired by being filled by the spirit of the god ( or enthusiasmos ) , in this case Apollo . The Pythian priestess emerged pre-eminent by the end of 7th century BC and would continue to be consulted until the 4th century AD . During this period the Delphic Oracle was the most prestigious and authoritative oracle among the Greeks , and she was without doubt the most powerful woman of the classical world . The oracle is one of the best - documented religious institutions of the classical Greeks . Authors who mention the oracle include Aeschylus , Aristotle , Clement of Alexandria , Diodorus , Diogenes , Euripides , Herodotus , Julian , Justin , Livy , Lucan , Nepos , Ovid , Pausanias , Pindar , Plato , Plutarch , Sophocles , Strabo , Thucydides and Xenophon . </P>
<P> The Pythia was established at the latest in the 8th century BC , and was widely credited for her prophecies inspired by being filled by the spirit of the god ( or enthusiasmos ) , in this case Apollo . The Pythian priestess emerged pre-eminent by the end of 7th century BC and would continue to be consulted until the 4th century AD . During this period the Delphic Oracle was the most prestigious and authoritative oracle among the Greeks , and she was without doubt the most powerful woman of the classical world . The oracle is one of the best - documented religious institutions of the classical Greeks . Authors who mention the oracle include Aeschylus , Aristotle , Clement of Alexandria , Diodorus , Diogenes , Euripides , Herodotus , Julian , Justin , Livy , Lucan , Nepos , Ovid , Pausanias , Pindar , Plato , Plutarch , Sophocles , Strabo , Thucydides and Xenophon . </P>
the oracle of delphi was a priestess whose words were believed to come from
the oracle of delphi was a priestess whose words were believed to come from
Apollo
Apollo