Dodone Oracle was one of the oldest oracles in ancient Greece, located in Epirus, near the Achelous River. According to Herodotus, the oracles of Dodone originated when two black doves arrived in the region. One dove perched on an oak tree and declared in a human voice that a temple to Jupiter should be built beneath it, which was subsequently erected. The oak tree became a source of divine oracles. Herodotus further explains that these two doves were actually Egyptian priestesses. The second dove traveled to Libya, where it established the worship of Jupiter Ammon, a syncretic deity combining the Roman Jupiter with the Egyptian Ammon.
Dodone Oracle
Creature Types: N/A
Mythological/Cultural Origins: Greek
Roles/Functions in Lore: Oracle, Religious Site
Literary Sources/Traditions: Classical Mythology, Herodotus's Histories
Historical/Legendary Time Periods: Ancient Greece
Attributes/Powers: Divine Oracles, Prophecy
Alignments/Moral Standings: Neutral
