The Cave of Pan at Oinoe

Attica · Greece · Natural site

Pan stopped the runner Philippides on the mountain road, asked why Athens had forgotten him — and promised to come to Marathon anyway.

Above the plain of Marathon, in the gorge of Oinoe, lies the cave the Athenians gave to Pan after the battle of 490 BC. Behind it is one of antiquity's few documented encounters with a god: the runner Philippides was on his way to Sparta to ask for help when Pan met him on the mountain road, complained that the Athenians had never given him any cult although he had been well disposed to them — and promised to come to Marathon regardless. After the victory the Athenians kept their side and dedicated the cave to him. Pan is the god who gives his name to panic, the sudden terror that sends a whole army running for no reason, and Attic shepherds long avoided his places at midday. The cave has several chambers and stalactites.

FAQ

Where is The Cave of Pan at Oinoe located?

The Cave of Pan at Oinoe is in Attika, Greece.

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Accounts are drawn from local folklore and visitor reports.