Anthesteria · Pithoigia

## Overview Anthesteria

Anthesteria · Choes Anthesteria · Chytroi ### Anthesteria 1: Pithoigia Opening the wine casks and partaking of the wine for the first time was a community celebration within the the temple Limnai (ἐν Λίμναις ), the shrine of Dionysus in the marshes, which only opened on the 12th day of Anthesterion. Burkert describes this transition as a gathering of winemakers and people from across Attica, bringing carts full of pithoi. Once the temple opened at sunset, casks were opened, first libations poured to the Dionysus and Agathos Daimon, and wine was sampled.^(1)

Burkert quotes Plutarch’s interpretation that the Athenians partook of this ritual, pouring a libation first before drinking and praying the wine “would not harm them, but rather, be good for them.”^(1)

Parke provides more details by describing that Dionysus had taught men how to properly dilute and partake of wine and the prayer as mentioned by Burkert was meant to extend to all of the pithoi of the season since it was believed that “wine had a potent, even a marginal, power which only Dionysus could control.”^(3)

Source(s)

1. Walter Burkert, Homo Necans, page 216-218, 1972 2. 3 Herbert William Parke, Festivals of the Athenians, page 108, 1977