It's really cool! You can actually just purchase Discovery Mode as its own standalone mode which disables combat and comes baked in with its own tour mode and landmarks.
@@HistoryExplained Laptop? Do yourself a favor and buy a PS4 lol... if you want to see if your laptop can run it go to "CAN I RUN IT" online and it will compare your laptop to the game you want and tell you if you can or can't
I hope you all are enjoying these history tours in Discovery Mode. Many sites lay yet un-visited so let me know where you think we should go next! P.S. please also share this with anyone who you think will appreciate the content, it helps the channel out a ton : )
@Jenova Project I wouldn't say the diet was mainly just grain, just that meat was far more rare than in modern times. Here is a good reference from R/AskHistorians about what could be expected for foodstuffs: www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1x2ty2/what_was_the_typical_diet_of_someone_living_in/cf85lcp?
I freaking love this. Having been a history nerd for a very long time (like most of us here im guessing) having this kind of visual isn't just beautful but removes the romanticism and shows us that people from the past are REAL
I actually did read what the oracle's last words were. In the fourth century, when Christianity was ascending, the pythia said, "The temples of the gods have fallen into ruin. The voice of Apollo is silent forever."
el.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/%CE%9C%CF%8D%CF%84%CE%B9%CE%BA%CE%B1%CF%82_(%CE%B2%CE%BF%CF%85%CE%BD%CE%BF%CE%BA%CE%BF%CF%81%CF%86%CE%AE) NOTHING. NOTHING! WHERE ARE THEY?! THEY DON'T EXIST
Actually, they think she said that because an earlier earthquake shut off the fumes and the pythias were no longer able to go into trance. The rise of Christianity didn't have anything to do with that.
Well I don't think it was as much as am oracle as it was political foreshadowing. Anyone at the time could easily see the influence of the Christians in the Roman court. Those words might have been the oracles attempt to woo the pagans to try political pressure in court for preserving her. But by then paganism was dead or dying in almost all of the world (middle and near west east). It was more or less all monotheism whether Christianity Islam or Judaism in any form
I’ve been to Delphi, it’s one of the most incredible (geographically speaking) places I’ve ever seen. I have 3 inaccuracies to mention here: 1. The complex with the temple is not represented correctly in this 3D visualisation. It’s indeed longer than wider, and there’s also a stadium in its southeast part. 2. Major artefact is not displayed in the visualisation. That’s the rounded rock “Ormala”, which was placed there by Zeus to indicate the Center of the World. One can see it if visiting the complex itself. 3. The landscape is also not correctly displayed, the complex is indeed more than 40 km far from the sea. The complex is placed at the beginning of two “sleeves” of mountains, going all the way down to the sea. All those are covered with olive trees, it’s mesmerising to just stay there and to observe this mind blowing landscape around the complex. I hope everyone will go see Delphi someday, it worth every second spent there, it’s like going back to the times when the modern civilisation was born, it’s unique experience.
The stadium is actually located in the north west and the artefact is called Omphalos. But you‘re right. They put in much work in little details, which is great, but didn't show really important things like the greek middle of the earth. That‘s a bit weird to me
I've been to Delphi. It was pretty amazing. But Delphi is only 18km from the Itea beaches by road, not 40km. Still, the distance represented in the game is significantly smaller. They had to condense what is nearly 100,000 sq km of greek geography into less than 250 sq km because of technological limitations. I'm not sure it's a fair criticism. Also, the stadium was built 4th century bc. The game takes place 5th century bc.
I imagine the designers had to choose a timeframe for their modeling, which would be the time of Greek supremacy. The stadium, if I remember correctly, was built in the Roman times... no?
@Prof.Dr.Diagnose given how artifacts of the gods or other religious figures are treated in this series, I have a headcanon thay the omphalos is the pyramidal artifact that that Cult of Kosmos has just below the Temple of Apollo.
This reminds me of the times where I've looked up old places in Greece and then tried to find them in the game. I remember Delphi being one of the places I looked for, and it's just so much fun to see far they go to recreate the stories and places of old. :D
2:35 The Oracle and Temple of Zeus Amun is also present in the prequel to this game Assasins creed: Origins which takes place in Egypt and Siwa Oasis particularly. That game also has a Discovery/Tour Mode, so you can also visit Egypt in similar manner around 48-44 BCE. The game also showcases Assassination of Julius Caeser .
Great video. Phokis and Delphi were considered the "navel" (Ομφαλός) of the universe ( Κόσμου). Assassin's Creed portrays very well the Ancient Greek world ( Έλλάς). The game is simply accurate with everything, including the Greek geography and historical characters. Nevertheless, in my personal analysis, the game also should have included Asia Minor and Magna Graecia/Μεγάλη Έλλάς in Assassin's Creed Odyssey ( both were also part of the Έλλάς). In Asia Minor, for exemple, it would be interesting to include the twelve Ionian city-states of Asia Minor ( currently located in the Turkish provinces of İzmir; Aydın; Manisa; Uşak and Muğla). With the exception of Samos/Σάμος and Quios/ Χίος ( which were included in the Twelve Ionian cities and are present in the game), Assassin's Creed Odyssey could have included Miletus/Μίλητος ( the cradle of philosophy/Το λίκνο της φιλοσοφίας); Ephesus/Έφεσος; Teos/Τέως; Klazomenae/Κλαζομεναί; Colophon/ Κολοφώv; Myus/Μυος; Priene/Πριήνη; Erythrae/Έρυθραί; Phocaea/Φώκαια and Lebedos/Λέβεδος. In Magna Graecia/Μεγάλη Έλλάς ( as the Romans called the Greek colonization in the present Italian regions of Sicily; Calabria; Basilicata; Puglia and Campania), on the other hand, it would be interesting to include the poleis ( cities) of Syracuse/Συράκουσαι ( the largest city of Magna Graecia since the days of the tyrants Gelon I and Hiero I); Agrigento/Agrigentum/Ακράγας ( Sicily's second most important city since the days of the tyrant Theron/Θήρων in the early V century BCE); Croton/Κρότων ( the most important polis of Calabria/Brutium); Metapontium/Μεταπόντιον ( the most important polis of Basilicata/Lucania); Taranto/Tarentum/Τάρας ( the most important polis of Puglia and once the ONLY Spartan colony in Magna Graecia) and/or Paestum/Ποσειδωνία ( the most important polis of Campania). However, the Game portrays the Greek world IN present-day Greece ( which was the center of the Έλλάς) perfectly well. Thanks Ubisoft! Rome ( REGINA ITALIAE) for the next Assassin's Creed!
Yes, I agree, it should've included the western part of turkey. I just came back from a trip around classical greece, a lot of major sites in turkey. It would be really nice to see Priene, Miletus, Ephesus, etc brought back to life; I spent quite a bit of time wondering around those sites figuring out how it would've looked like back in those days. The game feels a bit incomplete in this regard. Nevertheless, it's still the best game for reviving a classical period in history. I wish we have films that can depict classical greece this good looking!
So did the Oracle sell some gold or gifts that were sacrificed to the gods? I imagine that after hundreds of years this place mustve been overflowing with wealth
The Romans respected the Oracle of Delphi. They sent representatives to seek its guidance during the Punic wars. What made this particular Oracle so special, why didn’t they have their own?
Yeah I love the story of the Romans at their darkest hour sending envoys to consult with the oracle. But what makes this one so special is I think its association with Apollo combined with its long history of activity within the important and highly trafficked Corinthian gulf.
Thanks so much for such an informative (and entertaining video) on Delphi. My Dad's family is from Crete and I would love to see one on the palace of Knossos and its incredible art and architecture. What eventually happened to the oracle of Delphi during the advent of the Christian era in Greece? How long did it actually survive & continue? Thanks!
I like your cinematic animation tours around different Greek places such as this one on the Oracle ar Delphi. My students find this presentation very informative and engaging. Your narrative is very interesting. Will you be doing other ones on Ancient Rome and Ancient Egypt? If you have already done some can you give me the links.
dear Invicta, thank you very much for your tour trips, I really enjoy these. touring the Akropolis was extraordinary and impressive. would you mind doing a *tour for the battle site of Thermophylae* next? I know it's covered in the game. with a little input on the battle itself, how the landscape changed within the last 2500 years, nice view spots, etc. could be a fantastic episode I suppose, kind of a nature excursion ;)
Great video, thank you! One of the first treasuries shown in the video is based the treasury of the Siphnians, made by the island of where I come from in 525 BC. It is pretty cool to see it in a video game.
You forgot the Pythian Games which were held at Delphi. Also important were the ethylene fumes in the basement of Apollo's temple which intoxicated the priestesses and assisted in their trances and spouting of gibberish which was interpreted as profound utterances of the god Apollo. Didn't see the stadium which is adjacent to the shrine. The vegetation is way off. It should be Mediterranean scrub, no aspens and sycamores. Very arid. Mostly olive and scrub oak. It's a good start. It needs more work to be realistic and more historically accurate.
Croesus asked the pythian priestess whether he should go to war with Persia. She answered “if you do a great nation will fall”. Taking this as the green light he was looking for, he went to war...only to find out that the nation that fell was his own.
The sacred sites in Greece used to play the role of the Federal Reserve in the US. They were used as safe deposits of gold and silver as it was considered to be a blasphemy to attack those sites. In fact there where 3 levels of safety : Half of the Parthenon on the acropolis of Athens was a gold reserve for the town. It was the temple of Athena therfore was sacred to Athenians. This didn't stop the Persians to destroy it though. The island of Delos gave a better level of safety, since it was sacred for the entire leage of Delos. Delphi offered the higher level of safety since all Greeks respected its holyness. All the Greeks but not the Gauls who came all the way from Nowdays France to steal the gold. Later the Romans took the gold of Delphi from the Gauls and finaly the gold desapeared with the roman general who was supposed to secure it... There is a huge monument of Delphi missing in the 3d scene : the stadium. It's sill intact today and very impressive. It was the place where the delphian games took place every 4 years.
Great video! I will note, since you mentioned it so often how "humbling" it must be for a normal person/nobleman to see these offerings displayed by poleis and kingdoms - Hesiod touches on this in his Work And Days and mentions that the pious poor man who pours a libation of water every morning and every night is more beloved by the god than the king who sacrifices 100 bulls annually. People would not feel humbled in comparison with their "meager" offerings; you offered what you could, and the gods would appreciate that, pinning no richer man above another.
Delphi being the second of the most well-known ancient sites, Alexios visits, was inspired. - How the writers used the location was pretty iffy though.. The truth is that the Oracle was linked to (what they called) pre-history. By the time this game takes place. The "Age of dreams" written of in the Illiad was already considered an ancient dreamtime. - In other words, the old religion that venerated the Titans. - So then, the Pythia was only consulted for things of that nature; the ancient world having been recorded as rife with cataclysmic events. For example, a polis that chiefly venerated Poseidon, a Tsunami was as real a monster, as any molded by Ray Harryhaussen animated for his films. They know its water, but water doesn't rise up, up to 300' and obliterate entire city states, everyday, either.. If you wanted to know whether your merchant ships would arrive at the destination of a long voyage, or be swallowed by a storm? One consulted the Pythia. - but *never* was she consulted on political issues. She would tell you to "fuck off with your petty problems", and had her own guards to enforce her will. For this reason Delphi was populated by politicians, always in the shadows of society, jockying for ways to discredit the Pythia. You wouldn't dare read into the words of the Pythia in her presence. Athough questors got clever with their questions; you didn't ask a Stoic whether it was ok to cross a border to war with others, anymore than you would todays clergy. They'd look at you like you've lost all reason. - Like what difference does it make whether the Earth opens up beneath your battle; when you're already engaged in a zero-sum contest, anyway? As far as the Stoics were concerned, its just tidying up! The elemental Pantheon that emerged from the Titans, helped people navigate and understand the world, on many of its, quite natural, movements. We now know that it was simply that violent geological shifts in the region eventually settled down. However, the various Pythia had a pretty good strike rate predicting Volcanic eruptions, Tidal waves, excessive droughts, and other natural calamity. Including matters of love, because love was also considered to be elemental. Aphroditi was the first of the gods to be elevated by Christianity. As our consciousness transforms, so does our spirituality reawaken to begin the process of understanding.
Amazing game, their representation of Delphi is terrific. Still today, that site has remnants of its former majesty well present. What about Zeus statue in Olympia or the Temple of Artemis?
In the 90s, Scientific American published a geological study that concluded there is evidence that there were ethylene fumes emanating from a fissure here in ancient times. The myth may have a real foundation.
I was in the oracle of Delphi and the developers of the game or invicta( i didn't play the game so i don't know) forgot to add an amphiteatre( odeon i think it was called in the ancient Greece), a temple to Artemis, and another temple( i forgot to which god it was because it was some 5 years ago), also a hippodrome( although i think that was added in the roman times but again I'm not sure). Also the oracle itself had a basement level and it was off limits to any visitors, and that basement was basically an enlargement of that tectonic fissure which as invicta said was most likely leaking sulfur gas which in conjunction with some other psychoactive substances induced trans- like state in the priestesses which "convened with the gods". But yeah everything else is pretty much spot on and good job to the devs and to the Invicta!
14:29 this snake statue still exists - it is located in Constantinople, in the centre of a vehicle roundabout! The bowl at the top is missing, unfortunately.
Shit, this is amazing. I'm always reminded of bladerunner's "lost in time" speech when thinking about civilizations like Rome, but it's so cool to catch a glimpse of what it might have been like. This might "only" be a video game, but it brings you so much closer than just imagination.
@@ravinjade336 lol ok, I did some research for you. It's on Xboxone, playstation 4 and pc. I imagine you can buy it anywhere they sell games or download it straight to your system from their online shops.
I was in Delphos a month ago... It'a amazing the work they've done here. The area today is a lot greener and less "rockie" but apart from that I recognize everything! Also the stadium at the top of the site is missing, but maybe that was a later development.
Actually Oracle refused to make profecy for Alexander and when Alexander dragged the oracle to make a profecy she cried “Hey, your are unstoppable” and Alex said “that’s what I needed to hear’.
Delphi would not have enjoyed its glory for so long if the priests just gave some everyday average fortune telling. According to a guide book, the priests had their own agents across the Greek world to collect intels. They knew more because they relied on intel collection, not just 50-50 luck. In my opinion, the priests were calling the shots, not the Pythia, she was more or less just a symbolic figure to legitimize the priests' prediction. Also while I was visiting Delphi, I learned that the Pythia were some middle age women from the village, not pretty girls depicted such as in "300" or in game.
Actually they did that as well. The Pythia could only give prophecies once a month during the summer/spring/fall of the year based on the availability of gas fumes. All the other times, she was not available as the gas was too strong or not strong enough to go into trance. So lesser priestesses and priests offered minor fortune telling. Originally, the Pythia was a young, virginal woman. But men, being what they are, got all turned on, started kidnapping them and raping them, so they had to switch to older women.
YES! I'll definitely be hopping over to Origins for some of the sites there. Will definitely be exploring some of the Roman stuff like the baths in that setting.
from my own understanding from watching a few certain documentaries there was a stream that ran through the mountains, and these streams were heated and had chemicals in it as it flowed beneath the temple. Beneath the oracle there was a vent where this water steamed up from being heated and the chemicals in the water gave her hallucinations or "visions" if you will. And that was how the Oracle communicated with the gods. In the last documentary I watched on this, there was one archaeologist/geologist who thought he had located the fabled stream as he tried to trace it towards the supposed spot where the Oracle did her work. Of course there was barely much of a ruin to the temple there to go on. Or they were not sure it was the location of the temple at all and were just going off theories of the location. Its been a few years since I've seen this documentary so I may be remembering the details all wrong, so dont quote me on it c_c
I thought a historian would notice that the Discovery Tour got some things wrong. 08:20m Treasury of Cnideans is where the Treasury of Thebes should be, and some other switches. I thought you people would have read Pausanias’ Book X on Delphi and/or looked at a map of the location.
I'd love to see this same type of video series on Assassin's Creed Origins, even though it's an "old" game now. The most interesting part about these games is how they recreate the historical settings.
I really think they screwed up the look of the Oracle. Her sitting on the tripod with fumes coming up through the bronze grate would have been awesome. Where's the priests with the wax tablets interpreting her babblings?
Really Like Exploring The Sites... But Can You Please Stop Making Me Dizzy With The High Speed Shifting Around... Also, Where Can One Get These Mock Up's To Explore On Our Own... I Felt A Bit Like Dancing The Jail House Rock With That One Gal... Then Again She Could Have Been The Two Step To Willy & Waylon... Seriously, Would like to be able to purchase and explore these videos... Where can I get it ???
Love this - I just visited Delphi a few weeks back so this visual helps understand the entire area as now it is mere ruins. My tour guide had made it known women were not allowed in many places and were not dressed in such revealing clothes - again, the greek culture evolved as did the fashions. There is still a lot of unknown which i will probably recommend history nerds to read up on in some well published books about delphi. I was also informed in delphi it was not a city but a spiritual temple so no one resided there. Again this could be misinformation? Also there is the stadium beyond and higher than the theater - not sure if the game covers that? The stadium forbade women as the athletes played naked.
Love these so thanks. I have an idea for a video, taking these ancient sites and showing where they are/were located in the present day. Could go into detail on whats surviving now to see with your own eyes etc, although maybe that's a bit too touristy channel? Anyway love the channel and thanks for the content!.
It may be possible to discuss what remains today. Not sure if that is an addendum to the videos or their own video entirely. It may be possible for me to actually visit these sites in the future as a tourist POV.
@@InvictaHistory Dream right there to go see all these places. No excuse really either Greece is cheap as chips to get to especially if already living in Europe which I am. Concentrated goodness. Yeah I think if you went to the effort to see these places first hand, with camera, it would have to be their own videos, maybe their own series even. If thats actually a possibility I would be happy to support it on patreon or whatever
Ok, at 14:12, the enormous column towering above the Apollo statue is the Serpent Column commemorating the Greek city-states who fought and defeated Xerxes' Persian Empire at the Battle of Plataea (479 BC). The states who took part had their names inscribed on the coils of the column, and they can still be seen to this day on what survives of it in Istanbul. It was taken as booty to Constantinople to be in a hippodrome and later nearly destroyed by the Turks. You can see what's left of it at the 53:00 mark here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-wBnOs8GmYHk.html In Delphi it was located across from the Temple of Apollo nearest the altar, where it would have been a symbol of the Greeks' finest hour.
Thank you for this great video representation. I have been fascinated by the ancient Greek religions and mystery cults. I spent a month in Delphi going to the Temple everyday and I reckon you nailed it except for the Temple of Apollo was where the ancient Greeks believed the Omphalos was located, that is, the navel of the universe, the centre of the earth. I would love to see a similar video presentation of the Elusinian Mysteries and the Samothraki Mysteries where Alexander the Great's parents met when they were initiates to the cult.🥰
The downstairs was the adyton, where the priestess did her thing. (She didn;t hang around upstairs.) You missed the best part. But great graphics, thanks.
I feel like the eagle mode is a bit gimmicky. Would be much easier and cleaner if they just let you navigate "flight" mode without the bird icon blocking the screen or having to awkwardly coordinate it's forward momentum.
Your graphics are great, but your camera moves are terrible! I almost got a headache from all the sudden pans and jerky motion! Whoever's doing the camera should learn how to shoot with a real camera first - maybe?
I think what people always fail to understand about the purpose of an offering, usually no matter what religion (there are always exceptions), is that the Gods don’t actually need anything. They are Gods. Offerings are usually food which is mostly eaten by the religious practitioners, like a feast that is shared, but a small portion is saved, burned, or left to the animals. Gods don’t need our food. The statues within a sanctuary are not bribes. If they are not representing a God, they are monuments to pivotal moments (much like today) in time that they felt the Gods influenced. Or they are erected for beauty to make a sanctuary more beautiful and attractive, much like gardens outside cathedrals or the beautiful art within it. Let’s not get carried away with exaggerated talk like polytheism is all about reciprocity.
Actually a lot of ancient polytheism was about reciprocity. The Romans spring to mind, immediately. "Do et dus" was a typical expression in ancient Roman worship "I give so that you may give". It was a religious reflection of their cultural patronage system. They felt that only an "impious man expects something for nothing." So they would offer sacrifices or promise sacrifices if they were granted what they asked for. Sounds like a reasonable system.
@@druidriley3163 Sorry, this is a bit of a long one. Of course, you are correct but as I said there are exceptions. As for the philosophy of that ideology, what do the Gods get out of an offering? If they rule the universe, that is already there's. If they are not good and looking out for the benefit of not only individuals but mankind, why would they demand sacrifices? In the ancient world there was the common religion and the Mysteries. The Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and Druids had both. The commoners who might believe myth literally (just as Christians believe their myths literally) had narrow views on what a God was and likely viewed them as reciprocal because they wanted Gods that look and act just like them, even acting only out of desires and not love. The Romans were no exception and they had a common religion throughout the empire as well. Then there are those who were in the Mysteries and it was common belief even to those of the common religion that the Mysteries held the deeper truths of the religion. These Mysteries hold that the Gods are good and mythology is to be interpreted, not literal. These same people were philosophers and scholars, the brightest minds of their day and could see through the fact that why would you basically worship a glorified, fickle human being with powers? A God should be worthy of worship by definition. The same thing happens today in modern polytheism where some people believe in human Gods that are fickle and those who hold that there are deeper meanings and truths to be found and that the Gods are compassionate good beings... I personally can't agree with the former, but to each there own. These are just my thoughts.
So ac odyssey on of the most inaccurate historical fiction pieces of modern times. so maybe don’t us it as a background for a history piece it kind makes it seem less realistic even if it is mostly accurate historical events stated.
