Archaeological Site of Dodoni

Oldest oracle in Greece, located 22 km southwest of Ioannina in Epirus, where priests called the Selloi interpreted the rustling of a sacred oak tree to deliver the prophecies of Zeus. Over 4,200 lead question-tablets have been recovered, dating from the 6th to 2nd centuries BC. King Pyrrhus of Epirus made Dodona his religious capital around 290 BC, grandly rebuilding the Temple of Zeus and constructing a 17,000-seat theatre that remains well preserved today. The Naia festival held here featured athletic, musical, and dramatic contests. The oracle ceased in the 4th century AD under Theodosius.