Festivals Flashcards
What was the Panathenaia
Annual Athenian festival celebrating Athena’s birthday believed to be founded by Theseus and it marked the most important day for the year for the city
What was the Great Panathenaia
Every four years the Panathenaia was expanded to an eight day festival which contained more athletic and literary competitions
Order of events in the Great Panathenaia
1 - Rhapsodic and musical contests
2 - Boys’ and youths’ athletics
3 - Men’s athletics
4 - Equestrian events
5 - Tribal contests
6 - All-night celebration, procession and sacrifice
7 - Apobates and boat race
8 - Prize-giving
What happened at the Rhapsodic and musical contests in the Great Panathenaia
Rhapsodic:
Verses recited from Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey
Rhapsodies had to correctly recite sections chosen for the contests
Musical:
Four main competitions in the musical contests which revolved around two popular Greek instruments;
Aulos (Oboe like instrument)
Kithara (harp like instrument from the same family as the lyre)
First musical competition: Singers accompanied by the aulos
Second musical competition: soloists in the aulos
Third musical competition: Singers accompanies by the kithara
Fourth musical competition: Soloists on the kithara
What happened at the Stadion in the Great Panathenaia
Running event in which the competitions would run the length of the stadium
What happened at the Wrestling in the Great Panathenaia
Competitors would attempt to get their opponent down onto their back of shoulders which was called a “fall” After three “falls” the contest was over
Competitors would also cover themselves in oil to make it harder
No biting kicking or punching was allowed but tripping was
What happened at the Boxing in the Great Panathenaia
Athletes would wrap leather strips around the knuckles to protect their hands but would wear no protective head gear
Object was to knock out your opponent so many of the blows were to the head not the body making it a very dangerous sport
What happened at the Pankration in the Great Panathenaia
Pankration means all strength and it was a mixture of boxing and wrestling and kicking
Only two rules were no eye gouging and no biting
What happened at the Pentathlon
Consisted of the discus, javelin, long jump, stadion and wrestling
Three of th3se events did nope take place as events in their own right so came first
If an athlete won three events and then the stadion and wrestling would not take place
What happened at the Equestrian events in the Great Panathenaia
Four-horse chariot race
Mounted javelin contest where riders would have to hit targets whilst on horseback
Apobates- Fully armoured charioteers dismounting their chariots while racing, running alongside them for a period of time and then mounting them
What happened at the Tribal contests in the Great Panathenaia
Four events and were only open to citizens
What happened at the torch race in the Great Pananthenaia
Two mile run from the Dipylon Gate to the altar on the Acropolis
Each competitor would race with a lit torch and the winner’s torch would be used to light the sacrificial lflame
What happened at the Procession in the Great Panathenaia
The procession began at the Dipylon gate, travelled through the city on the Panathenaic way and ended at the foot of the Acropolis to present Athena a Peplos - one normal sized and one massive
Involves all Athenians - metics can only go up to the Acropolis
What happened at the the Sacrafice in the Great Panathenaia
Up to 100 oxen and other animals were sacraficed to Athena
Once the goddess had recieved her portion of the animals the Priestess of Athean and prominent Athenians would feast and then the rest of the community would receive the meat
What were the origins of the City Dionysia
Founded 6th century BC which coincided witht eh alliance between Eleutherae and Athens
When the stature of Dionysus originally came from Eleutherae, Athenians rejected it
Soon after the city was hit with a plague that effected men’s genitals
Athenians thought this was because they rejected the Statue of Dionysus and so accepted it and initiated the Great Dionysia to honour him
It was beleived that as soon as they accepted the Statue into the city the men were cured of their disease
When did the City Dionysia take place
Mid-March and lasted 5 days
When did the Great Panathnaia take place
28th of Hekatombaion / Late July
Who was the eponymous archon
An elected official who had various administrative responsibilities over the year
The archon would select three tragic playwrights and five comic playwrights who had to write 17 plays in total
Would also choose the Choregoes to finance the plays for the City Dionysia
Who were the choregos
Financial backetr of a set of plays at the City Dionysia
How could ordinary Athenians take part in the City Dionysia
In the dithyramb
Chorus members for the plays were often ordinary citizens
Order of events in the City Dionysia
1 - Pompe, dithyrambic contests, komos
2 - Opening ceremony, 5 comedies
3 - 3 tragedies, 1 satyr-play
4 - 3 tragedies, 1 satyr-play
5 - 3 tragedies, 1 satyr-play, judging and prize-giving
What were the prizes in the Great Panathnaia
Winners of sport contests would recieve a amphorae called the Panathanaic Amphorae filled with olive oil with a painting of the sport they won on one side and Athena on the other
Winners would also sometimes recieve sums of money
What happened at the Pompe in the City Dionysia
Morning of the first day a grand procession took place that accompanies teh wooden statue of Dionysus in a boat on wheels from the gates to the sanctuary of Dionysus
The procession was carnival like with drinking dancing and general revelry taking place in honour of Dionysus
Sacrficial objects like animals, fruits and breads and model penis’ were also carried
What happened at the Dithyramb in the City Dionysia
Little is known about it but it was a choral song and dance written in honour of Dionysus and predated comedy and tragedy plays
100 members from each tribe took part
What happened at the Komos in the City Dionysia
Held in the evening of the first day and only men could take part
A central symbol to the celebration was a penis and participants would bring leather penis’ to present to the god which celebrated Dionysus as a god of fertility
It also involved singing, dancing and lots of wine drinking
What happened at the Opening ceremony in the City Dionysia
Beginning of second day and to start the proceedings the priest of Dionysus would sacrafice a piglet and then ten generals of Athens poured a libation to the 12 olympian gods
What was th Theoric Fund
Athenians set up the Theoric Fund in late 5th century BC to help the poor pay fro the theatre which cost two abols to attend them which is roughly a day’s wage for an unskilled worker
What was the appeal for Comedy in the City Dionysia
Developed later than tragedy possibly reflecting the greater political freedom that was present in Athens in 5th Century BC
Themes of Comedy were usually war, politics or social life
Often contain reversed roles like the slaves acting superior to the masters, women controlling men and politicians were openly mocked
It offered a releif from the everyday world of Athens and allowed playwright a chance to vpice their feelings about issues within Athens
What was the appeal for Tragedy in the City Dionysia
Inspired by well known mythic and historic evnets of the past
Usually focused on human suffering and asked questions about human nature
The audience would be encouraged to consider how what they were watching reflected into their own lives
What were satyr-plays
Formed part of the four plays that were written by one playwright and intened as comic respite after three tragedies had been performed and usually was mythologically themed but did not have to relate to the tragedies
What happened during the judging in the City Dionysia
On the fifth day after all the plays had been performed each judge would write the plays in order of prefrence and plced the list in a single urn
The eponymous archon then drew five of the ten lists and the playwright with the most votes was declared victor and given a garland of ivy (symbol of dionysus)
What were the origins of the Lupercalia
Originally derived from an ancient festival of purifcation and fertility honouring the god Lupercus
It also grew to honour Rome’s founder Romulus and as Rome became less about farming the festival became more focused on Romulus
When did the Lupercalia take place?
15th of Feburary
What were the priests of Lupercus called and what did they do
Luperci and usually chosen especially for the day from the male noble population
Order of evens for the Lupercalia
- Begins at the Lupercal - Cave in the Palatine hill
- Sacrafice
- Race around the foot of the palatine hill and through Rome
Why did the Lupercalia start at the Lupercal cave
Believed to be the place where Romulus and Remus were taken in by the she-wolf
What happened during the sacrafice in the Lupercalia
On entering the cave the Luperci sacrificed dogs and goats to Lupercus as they were known for the virtility so suited for Lupercus
Animals sacraficed by sprinkling mola salsa on their heads, causing the animals to nod agreeing to the sacrafice
The animals throats were slit and a knife was dipped in blood which was dripped onto the foreheads of the participants
The blood was then immediately wiped off with wool soaked in milk
The Luperci would then laugh and the aurspex read the entrails and if they were positived the participants would eat the meat and drink the wine
After they had eaten the Luperc cut the skins from the animals into strips some of which were used to cover the body and others used during the race
What happened during the race in the Lupercalia
Runners (usually nobleme) would run in leather thongs and whipping spectators to grant fertility
What were the origins of the Saturnalia
Held in honour of Saturn
Celebrated the end of winter sowing and the beginning of the winter solstice as Saturn was the Roman God of sowing. It also is a wish for the golden age to return - an age ruled by saturn, where both men and gods lived equally
When was the Saturnalia held ?
When and why did it change ?
17th to 23rd of December
Changed during the reign of Augustus and became 3 days long possibly because it was an expensive festival and it disrupted the proper order of society which one of the things he valued
Who were the officials for the Saturnalia
Priests of the Temple of Saturn
What was different in the sacrafice of the Saturnalia than normal Greek Sacrafices
Priest would not cover his head in the greek style - alluding to the relationship between Saturn and Cronus
What happened during the public feast during the Saturnalia
Paid for by the state and it took place throughout the streets of rome
All levels of society would take part
It would also include a statue of satur that would sit at the banquet table to signify the god’s presence at the festival
What happened during the private feast in the Saturnalia
Slaves and masters were equal during the festival
Masters would remove their togas nd all would wear party dress
The men would wear a small felt cap called a pileus as a symbol of freedom
The slaves would sacrafice to the Penates, manage the provisions and direct the activiteies and would feast like the masters
They would also give gifts to eachother
