Delphic oracle, most famous ancient oracle, believed to deliver prophecies from the Greek god Apollo. She was based in his temple at Delphi, located on the slopes of Mt. Parnassus above the Corinthian Gulf.

Pythia (/ ˈpɪθiə /; [1] Ancient Greek: Πυθία [pyːˈtʰíaː]) was the title of the high priestess of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. She specifically served as its oracle and was known as the Oracle of Delphi. Her title was also historically glossed in English as the Pythoness.

The Oracle of Delphi was an important Greek priestess and soothsayer who practiced divination in the Temple of Apollo at the ancient sanctuary of Delphi on Mount Parnassus. Also known as the Pythia, the oracle was a real woman carefully selected by the priests of the sanctuary.

The wide-reaching influence of the Oracle of Delphi put the Pythia in an elevated position unrivaled among women in ancient Greece. Over its thousand-year history, the Oracle was consulted on the founding of new states and colonies, as well as the outcomes of wars and invasions.

At the oracle of Dodona she is called Diōnē (the feminine form of Diós, genitive of Zeus; or of dīos, "godly", literally "heavenly"), who represents the earth-fertile soil, probably the chief female goddess of the proto-Indo-European pantheon [citation needed].