Temple of the Dedication of Dion

Temple of the Dedication of Dion

A major religious site dedicated to Zeus located near the foot of Mount Olympus this temple is a single-chambered temple surrounded by columns Valuable information about the cult's rituals is found in numerous inscriptions and offerings Marble statues of Zeus Hypsistos and a marble eagle from the Hellenistic and Roman periods have been found Mosaics depicting a bull a pair of axes and a crow in the central hall demonstrate the importance of Ancient Dion in the history of Pieria There are also replicas of several other votive and blessing statues all striking and nearly complete works from the Imperial period The floor is covered with mosaic tiles including the two crows

The entire building is also covered with mosaic tiles lined with small columns and decorated with marble eagles symbolizing the devotion to the saint  At the end of the street leads to a large square to the temple of Zeus Hypsistos where the temple was located The interior consists of several chambers.During the Hellenistic period Dion became an important religious center in ancient Macedonia A sanctuary dedicated to Zeus at the foot of Mount Olympus during the Hellenistic period. 

The cult of Zeus in Dionysus became the religious center of Macedonia Zeus was venerated in the Olympian shrine of Zeus The bronze statues of fallen knights at the Battle of Cranikos were erected in the Olympian shrine of Zeus presided over by the ancient goddess Tethys Although no sanctuary was built for him the river Vafiras was considered a deity

The carved head of a statue representing the river was discovered in its headwaters, just east of the park entrance The powerful temple was built on a sacred grove dedicated to Zeus for sacrificial rites Within the temple complex were gilded statues of Macedonian kings the most important part of the Hellenistic cult of Zeus The temple also housed the Olympian shrine of Zeus The central square within the complex contained altars the temple of Zeus Lykaios inscriptions and pottery Charcoal remains from the Hellenistic and Roman periods on the summit of Agios Antonios near Dionysus provide evidence that the cult of Zeus was not limited to Dionysus Since the late 8th century BC Zeus has been worshipped in various places in Greece These temples of Zeus were often located on or near mountaintops