The Panathenaea (or Panathenaia) was a multi-day ancient Greek festival held annually in Athens that would always conclude on 28 Hekatombaion, the first month of the Attic calendar. The main purpose of the festival was for Athenians and non-Athenians to celebrate the goddess Athena. Every four years, the festival was celebrated in a larger manner over a longer time period with increased festivities and was known as the Great (or Greater) Panathenaea. In the years that the festival occurred that were not considered the Great Panathenaea, the festival was known as the Lesser Panathenaea. The festival consisted of various competitions and ceremonies, culminating with a religious procession that ended in the Acropolis of Athens.
⭐ In the context of Athenian festivals, the Dionysia is considered subordinate in importance to which other major celebration?
The Dionysia, while a major festival dedicated to Dionysus, held the position of second-most important festival in Athens, with the Panathenaia being the most significant celebration.
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HINT: The Dionysia, while a major festival dedicated to Dionysus, held the position of second-most important festival in Athens, with the Panathenaia being the most significant celebration.
In this Dossier
- ⭐ Core Definition: Panathenaia
- Panathenaia in the context of City Dionysia
- Panathenaia in the context of Hippocleides
Panathenaia in the context of City Dionysia
The Dionysia (/ˌdaɪ.əˈnɪzi.ə, ˌdaɪ.əˈnɪʃi.ə, ˌdaɪ.əˈnɪʃə/; Greek: Διονύσια) was a large festival in ancient Athens in honor of the god Dionysus, the central events of which were processions and sacrifices in honor of Dionysus, the theatrical performances of dramatic tragedies and, from 487 BC, comedies. It was the second-most important festival after the Panathenaia. The Dionysia actually consisted of two related festivals, the Rural Dionysia and the City Dionysia, which took place in different parts of the year.
View the full Wikipedia page for City DionysiaPanathenaia in the context of Hippocleides
Hippocleides (also Hippoclides) (Ancient Greek: Ἱπποκλείδης), the son of Teisander (Τείσανδρος), was an Athenian nobleman, who served as Eponymous Archon for the year 566 BC – 565 BC.
He was a member of the Philaidae, a wealthy Athenian family that was opposed to the Peisistratos family. During his term as archon, he set up the statue of Athena Promachos (πρὀμαχος) in Athens and oversaw a reorganization of the Panathenaia festival.
View the full Wikipedia page for Hippocleides