CLASSICAL CIVILISATION

• took place in Hekatombaion (mid-July)
• Great Panathenaia took place every 4 years - larger and grander version

9 MONTHS BEFORE

• priestesses of Athena and Arrephoroi (4 chosen aristoctatic girls)  set up the loom for the peplos
• Ergastinai (Athenian women) weave the peplos

DAY 1

• rhapsodic competition: rhaposodes recite from Iliad or Odyssey
• musical contests: held in Pericles' Odeon; 4 main categories: singers with kithara, soloists on kithara, singers with aulos, soloists on aulos

DAYS 2-3

• sporting competitions split into 3 groups: boys, ageneoi and men - men on day 3
• included: hoplites (400m race in armour), pentathlon (javelin, stade, discus, long jump and wrestling), hoppios (800m), etc

DAY 4 

• equestrian events, e.g tethrippon (4 horse chariot race)

DAY 5

• tribal contests between the 10 tribes
• euandrion: trials of manliness and strength
• anthipassia: mock cavalry battle between the 10 tribes

DAY 6

• torch race: Dipylon Gate -> Acropolis
• Panathenaic procession: Athens -> Acropolis -> statue of Athena Polias in Erectheion where peplos was changed + sacrifice of a hetacomb
• pannychis: all night honouring of Athena, incl. singing hymns

Day 7

• boat race = regatta at Piraeus
• chariot race, incl apobatos where competitors would dismount and remount during the race

DAY 8

• prizegiving - winners received amphorae, drachmae, livestock, etc
• Panathenaic amphora: jars with Athena on 1 side, and image of event on other

PURPOSE

• celebrate patron goddess and founder
• feasting and distribution of sacrifical meat - hetacomb
• communal worship
• competiton and chance to win glory
• visual spectacle - impressive
• patriotic pride - show off to metics
• feeling of unification

• held in Elaphebolion (end of March to start of July)
• males only + sat in tribes - fund ensured all could attend

BEFORE

• tragic playwrights submit synopsis of 3 tragedies + 1 short satyr play to archon
• comic playwrights submit synopsis of 1 comedy to archon
• funded by choregos - compulsory duty for wealthy

2 DAYS BEFORE

• proagon held in Pericles' Odeon where playwright reads synopsis + short passage

EVENING BEFORE

• citizens and metics marched to Theatre of Dionysus, carrying statue of Dionysus Eleuthereus in a cart that looked like a ship - escorted by Epehebes (military cadets)
• people carried giant phalloi

DAY 1

• grand pompē + sacrifice at ToD + komos in evening
• dithyrambs performed by 1 chorus of males and 1 chorus of boys from each tribe

DAY 2

• opening ceremony starting with sacrifice of a pig
• money paid to Athens by allies was displayed
• Athenian orphans paraded + citizens awarded prizes for deeds and services

DAYS 3-4

• 3 tragedies + 1 satyr from 1 playwright, + comic play

DAY 5

• 10 50-man dithyramb choirs competeted + comic play

DAY 6

• 10 50-boy dithyramb choirs competeted + comic play

JUDGING

• before festival, each tribe put names of citizens into urn - 1 person randomly chosen from each tribe = judge
• each judge ranked playwrights from most fav -> least fav
• archon drew out 5/10 votes: winner = playwright with most votes
• prize = goat + ivy wreath

PURPOSE

• propaganda: displaying wealth, power and literary and artistic talent of Athens - parade is symbolic to the city's continuing sucess
• promotes pride in demes (tribes) + civic pride
• honours Athenian leading citizens
• emphasised superiority of citizens - metics couldn't take part
• opportunity to eat meat

• significance of drama - catharsis
• communal worship
• worship Dionysus to ensure continuing favour of the god for fertility
• welcome new sailing season: Athens = port polis