Libanius, A monody on the temple of Apollo at Daphne, destroyed by fire (1784). Select works of...

On October22, 362, the temple of Apollo at Daphne, outside of Antioch, was destroyed in a mysterious fire. An excerpt from the article:

"After the interment of St. Babylas, the oracle of Apollo continued to give oracles, and Julian caused a superb colonnade to be built around the temple. But on the night of 22nd of October, 362, a fire consumed the wood work of the ancient edifice, and the statue itself; nor could Julian, who hastened to the scene supply any remedy. The fire was ascribed by the Christians to the divine vengeance; by Julian to the resentment and jealousy of the Christians. He suspected that the sacrist and the ministers who kept the temple of being in a plot with them. But these idolaters, put to the torture, accused no-one. On the contrary they constantly affirmed that the fire came from above; and some peasants, who were on the road that night on their way to the city said that they saw fire fall from heaven on the temple, though the weather was very calm and there was no appearance of a storm. Julian however, either by way of reprisal or to prevent the Christians from triumphing, ordered the great church of Antioch to be shut and its riches to be carried to the imperial treasury. -- La Bleterie"