PĂNĂTHĒNAEA

( παναθήναια ), the greatest and most splendid of the festivals celebrated in Attica in honour of Athena, in the character of Athena Polias, or the protectre of the city. It was said to have been instituted by Erichthonius, and its original name, down to the time of These us, was believed to have been A the nae a; but when These us united all the Atticans into one body, this festival, which then became the common festival of all the Attic tribes, was called Pan a the nae a. There were two kinds of Pan a the nae a, the greater and the le er; the former were held every fourth year ( πενταετηρίς ), the latter every year. The le er Pan a the nae a were probably celebrated on the 17th of the month Hecatomb aeon; the great Pan a the nae a in the third year of every Olympiad, and probably commenced on the same day as the le er Pan a the nae a. The principal difference between the two festivals was, that the greater one was more solemn, and that on this occasion the peplus of Athena was carried to her temple in a most magnificent proce ion, which was not held at the le er Pan a the nae a. The solemnities, games, and amusements of the Pan a the nae a were, rich sacrifices of bulls, foot, horse, and chariot races, gymnastic and musical contests, and the lampadephoria; rhapsodists recited the poems of Homer and other epic poets, philosophers disputed, cock-fights were exhibited, and the people indulged in a variety of other amusements and entertainments. The prize in these contests was a vase filled with oil from the ancient and sacred olive tree of Athena on the Acropolis. A great many of such vases, called Panathenaic vases, have in late years been found in Etruria, southern Italy, Sicily, and Greece. They represent on one side the figure of Athena, and on the other the various contests and games in which these vases were given as prizes to the victors. Of the discu ions of philosophers and orators at the Pan a the nae a we still po e two specimens, the λόγος Παναθηναικός of I so crates, and that of Aristeides. Hero dot us is said to have recited his history to the A then i ans at the Pan a the nae a. The management of the games and contests was entrusted to persons called Athlothetae ( ἀθλοθέται ), whose number was ten, one being taken from every tribe. Their office lasted from one great Panathenaic festival to the other. The chief solemnity of the great Pan a the nae a was the magnificent proce ion to the temple of Athena Polias, which probably took place on the last day of the festive season. The whole of the proce ion is represented in the frieze of the Par the non, the work of Phidias and his disciples, now deposited in the British Museum. The chief object of the proce ion was to carry the peplus of the godde to her temple. This peplus was a crocus-coloured garment for the godde , and made by maidens, called ἐργαστῖναι . In it were woven Enceladus and the giants, as they were conquered by the godde . The peplus was not carried to the temple by men, but suspended from the mast of a ship. The proce ion proceeded from the Ceramic us, near a monument called Leo corium, to the temple of Demeter at Eleusis, and thence along the Pelasgic wall and the temple of Apollo Pythius to the Pnyx, and thence to the Acropolis, where the statue of Minerva Polias was adorned with the peplus. In this proce ion nearly the whole population of Attica appears to have taken part, either on foot, on horseback, or in chariots, as may be seen in the frieze of the Par the non. Aged men carried olive branches, and were called Thallophori ( θαλλοφόροι ); young men attended, at least in earlier times, in armour, and maidens who belonged to the noblest families of Athens carried baskets, containing offerings for the godde , whence they were called Canephor i ( κανηφόροι ). Respecting the part which aliens took in this proce ion, and the duties they had to perform, see Hydria pho ria . Men who had deserved well of the republic were rewarded with a gold crown at the great Pan a the nae a, and the herald had to announce the event during the gymnastic contests. IMG:6459379820872971714_ill282.jpg: Pancratiastae. (Krause, Gymnastik und Agonistik der Hellen, tav. 21.)