Delos
Delos was a tiny island in the Cyclades, sacred as the birthplace of the twin gods Apollo and Artemis — one of the holiest sites in the ancient Greek world.
The Story of Delos
When Leto was pregnant by Zeus, Hera forbade any land from giving her shelter. The floating island of Delos alone agreed, and Poseidon anchored it with four diamond pillars. Leto gave birth first to Artemis, who then helped deliver Apollo. The island blazed with golden light at his birth. Delos became the centre of Apollo's worship and seat of the Delian League. So sacred was the island that no one was permitted to be born or die there.
Parents
The island was the Titaness Asteria transformed
Symbols
Fun Fact
No one was allowed to be born or die on Delos — making it perhaps the only place in history where both birth and death were illegal.
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth. See our full guide to English words from Greek mythology.
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