What is celebrated at the Panathenaic festival?

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.

Why was the Panathenaic festival important?

The Panathenaic festival was formed in order to honor the goddess Athena who had become the patron of Athens after having a competition with the god Poseidon where they were to win the favor of the Athenian people by offering the people gifts. The festival would also bring unity among the people of Athens.

What events were in the Panathenaic Games?

Events

Event	Description
Pentathlon	a fivefold event consisting of the discus toss, javelin throw, long jump, stadion sprint, and wrestling
Palé	Greek wrestling
Pygmachia	Greek boxing
Pankration	a brutal combat sport with few rules

Who founded the Panathenaic festival?

Erechtheus
PANATHENAEA (ta Panathênaia) was a very ancient festival in honour of Athena Polias and Erechtheus (A. Mommsen, Heortologie der Athener, 14 ff., 37 ff.), said to have been founded by Erechtheus or Erichthonius 729 years before the first Olympiad (C. I. G. 2374, cf.

What does the word Panathenaic mean?

Definition of panathenaic : of, relating to, or connected with the Panathenaea : panathenaean the Parthenon frieze representing the panathenaic procession vases given as prizes in the panathenaic games.

Who could participate in the Panathenaic festival?

The Panathenaea (‘all-Athenian festival’) was Athens’ most important festival and one of the grandest in the entire Greek world. Except for slaves, all inhabitants of the city and suburbs could take part in the festival.

How long did the Panathenaic Games last?

Because of a large number of competitions or contests, the games lasted for about four days, but could go on for longer than that depending on the turnout. People would gather to honor the god, compete in their sports or in one of the other competitions, and in general participate in the religious festival.

Where did the Panathenaic procession end?

the Acropolis
Only Athenian citizens10 were allowed to pass through the Propylaea and enter the Acropolis. The procession passed the Parthenon and stopped at the great altar of Athena in front of the Erechtheum.

What is the historical background of the Panathenaic festival?

Panathenaic Festival – Historical Background. It was during Perikles’ rule that the major building campaign on the Acropolis began. The remarkable Ionic frieze of the Parthenon, with its 378 figures sculpted in low relief, documents many aspects of the Panathenaic procession and its culminating ceremony, the presentation of a new robe (peplos)…

How often were the Greater Panathenaea celebrated?

The Greater Panathenaea were celebrated every third Olympic year (e.g. C. I. G. i. 251, by the Archon Charondas in 110. 3; Lys. Accept. Mun. Def. § 1, by the Archon Glaucippus in 92. 3: see other confirmatory arguments in Mommsen, pp. 120, 121); therefore they were held in the same years as the Pythian games.

What is the chief day of the Panathenaean Festival?

For the Lesser Panathenaea (which was the nucleus of the Greater) the chief day of the festival was the 28th of Hecatombaeon; it comprised the pannychis, the procession, the sacrifices, and the feasting: and the 27th sufficed for the horseraces (when there were any), the Euandria and the Pyrrhic dances.

What were the Panathenaic Games?

The Panathenaic Games, held during the large-scale festival, included solo and group contests.