PANATHENAIA - festival

Question 1

Why was the Panathenaia important?

Answer 1

The Panathenaia = held annually in honour of Athena on her BIRTHDAY!!! Every 4 years, a Great Panathenaia was held, with games and extra elements added.

The Festival showcased every aspect of Athens to demonstrate not only the POWER, BEAUTY, TALENT and glory and devotion felt for Athena.

Question 2

The procession:

Answer 2

• Started with a procession which grew to be so big –> OWN SPECIAL BUILDING - POMPEION CONSTRUCTED.. Size shows how important and grand processions were.
• Started at Diplyon Gate through agora and up to the ACROPOLIS via PROPYLAIA (elaborate entranceway to Athens)
• Road = PANATHENAIC way 10m wide to accommodate LARGE crowds.

Question 3

How important was the PANATHENAIA?

Answer 3

• The procession was considered to be such a significant part of Athenian religion and civic life that it was the inspiration for the frieze of the Parthenon.
• The sculpture includes the gathering horsemen who represent the ARISTOCRACY of Athens, elder citizens, women, animals for sacrifice and ritual objects. Range of participants = UNIFYING and how polis religious events caused CIVIC PRIDE. Even shows the climax of festival; the presentation of the PEPLOS to Athena on the central part of east side.
• 12 Olympian gods depicted on either side of the presentation scene, the recipients of all this worship. First time that a scene portraying a real-life event was depicted on a temple. Fact further highlights just how significant this procession and festival was for the Athenians.

Question 4

PEPLOS

Answer 4

• Festival marked the bday of Athena Polias - focal part of celebration was the presentation of her BIRTHDAY GIFT; she was given a peplos, a style of dress she was always depicted in.
• Peplos was thereafter presented to the goddess and was draped on the olive-wood cult statue of Athena Polias that stood in the ERECHTHEION.
• Votive dedication symbolised the city’s thanks to the goddess for her help and protection, the gift unified all members of Athenian society in a way no other festival or occasion did.

Question 5

SACRIFICE

Answer 5

• Polis celebrated and honoured Athena with sacrifices. a civic decree from 335 BC recorded that cattle bought = SACRIFICED ON GREAT ALATAR OF ATHENA ON THE ACROPOLIS and the best parts were kept for sacrifice on the altar of Athena Nike.
• Civic officials and Athenians who participated and maidens who carried vessels = given their portions of meat on Acropolis.
• Sacrifices paid for directly by the city or by rich Athenians and foreign residents. The distribution of meat = reflective of the DEMOCRATIC nature of Athens: all citizens were ENTITLED to a portion.
• HIGHLY VALUED AND PRIZED considering that the meat was not a regular part of an Ancient Greek diet because it was expensive. Honouring goddess by sharing the meat sacrificed to her was ANOTHER unifying civic experience which brings people together in shared enjoyment.

Question 6

CONTESTS

Answer 6

PANATHENAIAC FESTIVAL = contests in honour of the goddess

• Musical and rhapsodic contests before the procession and sacrifices – only took place during GREAT PANATHENAIA.
• Prizes for Musical contests were very precious and valuable, olive crown 4th century winner worth 1000 drachmas, at a time when daily wage for a skilled worker was 1 drachma.
• Athletic contests held for boys and youths and men. Running races, pentathlon and pankration.
• First and second prizes were awarded and these were olive oil presented in a Panathenaiac Amphora which = prizes awarded at the Panathenaiac Festival.
• Amphora = jug or vessel for storing liquids –> black-figure image of a striding Athena.
• EQUESTRIAN CONTESTS TOOK PLACE, TRIBAL CONTESTS TOO
• MEN VALUED FOR BEING BEAUTIFUL AND GOOD –> both attributes credited to the Gods.
• Torch race like modern relay race. Tribal event demonstrated teamwork and athleticism.
• The contests showcased the best of Athens, celebrated their musical and literary talents, athletic strength and ability, military and Baal power and DEMOCRATIC ORGANISATION. ALL CENTERED AROUND GODDESS
• ATHENA whom they credited with these talents and strengths and in whose honour they competed. The other Olympain gods would doubtless also have been honoured and worshipped in this festival but Athena was clearly the central focus. As with the rest of the festival and indeed with Greek religion as a whole, it is hard to distinguish civic life from religious practice.

Question 7

LOUISE BRUIT ZAIDMAN AND KINDT ARGUE…

Answer 7

LOUISE BRUIT ZAIDMAN ARGUES THAT THERE IS AN INSEPARABILITY OF FESTIVALS FROM THE VERY DEFINITION OF THE GREEK CIVIC LIFE

but Julia Kindt argues that no single belief or practice in Greek world was merely personal or civic, it depended on the context and outlook of the person practicing it.

AGREE –> Sacrifices can be about individual devotion or merely part of shared festival rites/ Fear - PLUTARCH