Oracles have been used to predict the future by many different cultures for thousands of years. The oldest Greek oracle was located in the city of Dodona, in the mountains of northern Greece. On the site of the oracle was built a temple where priestesses claimed they could interpret messages from the gods. Princes and noblemen from kingdoms far and wide came to consult the oracle and hear their fortune. The oracle of Dodona was sacred to Zeus and his consort, Dione, and was consulted by those wishing to understand the will of Zeus.

The oracles were an important connection between the Greeks and the gods. Both Greeks and Romans had the custom of consulting oracles to learn of future events. They believed the will of the gods could be learned through these ancient psychic mediums. The term "oracle" is used for both a sign given by a...