"Abae was the site of an important oracle of APOLLO. Located in PHOCIS (BA 55 D3), the sanctuary is described by Herodotus as rich, and well-stocked with TREASURIES and votive offerings. The Phocians dedicated 2,000 shields at Abae after defeating the THESSALIANS in the famous night-time battle, when they covered themselves in chalk and terrified their opponents (8.27). In the ARCHAIC AGE the sanctuary rivaled DELPHI. The Phocians dedicated statue groups both at Abae and Delphi to commemorate their victory over the Thessalians, and the oracle at Abae was one of the six Greek ORACLES tested by CROESUS (1.46.2). Excavations by the German Archaeological Institute at Kalapodi have brought to light a sanctuary continuously used for cult purposes as far back as the Middle Helladic period (c. 2100-1600 B.C.E.). The excavator, Wolf-Dietrich Niemeier (2010), has proposed that the sanctuary at Kalapodi should be identified as Herodotus' Abae. The identification is supported by the extraordinary number of WEAPONS found in the excavations, including over 2,000 shields (Felsch 2007). The sanctuary was destroyed by the Persians as they advanced through central Greece in 480 B.C.E. (8.33)"-- Provided by publisher.