'''Abae''' (Ancient Greek: ''Ἄβαι'', '''Abai'''), is an ancient town in the northeastern corner of [[Phocis]], in [[Greece]]. It was famous in antiquity for its [[oracle]] of [[Apollo|Apollo Abaeus]], one of those consulted by [[Croesus]], king of [[Lydia]].<ref>Herodotus i.46</ref>

It was rich in treasures<ref>[[Herodotus]]. viii.33</ref>, but was sacked by the [[Iran|Persians]] in 480 BCE, and the [[temple (Greek)|temple]] remained in a ruined state. The oracle was, however, still consulted, e.g. by the [[Thebes (Greece)|Thebans]] before [[Leuctra]] in 371 BCE.<ref>Pausanias iv. 32.5</ref> The temple seems to have been burnt again during the [[Third Sacred War]] (355–346 BCE), and was in a very dilapidated state when seen by [[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]] in the second century CE,<ref>Pausanias, x. 35</ref> though some restoration, as well as the building of a new temple, was undertaken by Emperor [[Hadrian]].

The sanctity of the shrine ensured certain privileges to the people of Abae,<ref>''Bulletin Corresp. Hell.'' '''6''' 171.</ref> and these were confirmed by the Romans. The [[polygonal]] walls of the acropolis may still be seen in a fair state of preservation on a circular hill standing about 500 ft. above the little plain of [[Exarcho]]; one gateway remains, and there are also traces of town walls below. The temple site was on a low spur of the hill, below the town. An early terrace wall supports a precinct in which are a [[stoa]] and some remains of temples; these were excavated by the [[British School at Athens]] in [[1894]], but little was found.

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
*[[Hesychius]] s. v. "Agcu"
*[[Herodotus]] viii. 33
*[[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]] x. 35.1ff, etc.)

{{Wikisource1911Enc|Abae}}

{{Ancient_Greece}}

[[Category:Ancient Greek geography]]

{{Ancient-Greece-stub}}

[[de:Abai (Griechenland)]]
[[fr:Abæ]]
[[it:Abe in Focide]]
[[ka:აბე (საბერძნეთი)]]
[[lt:Abas]]
[[pl:Abaj (miasto w Grecji)]]
[[pt:Abas (cidade)]]
[[ru:Абы]]