City Dionysia

Overview

City Dionysia or Greater Dionysia is one of Athens’s major festivals held in the month of Elaphebolion in honor of Dionysus Eleuthereus. It is believed that the cult image came from Eleutherai who voluntarily joined Athens to escape their enemies, the Boeotians in the mid sixth century. The festival lasted several days, around four but was reduced to three during the Peloponnesian war (Parke, 126). Unlike other festivals, foreigners and slaves were allowed to attend if they were able to pay the fee of 2 obols (Parke, 129). ## Preliminary Rites / Procession

A few days before the main festival, the statue of Dionysus Eleuthereus was moved from it’s temple to the gymnasium in the shrine of the Academy in Athens. There, it was believed sacrifices and offerings were made until the evening of the 8th or 9th of Elaphebolion when the statue was escorted back in time for the festival. (Parke, 126-127)

The return procession was called "bringing in from the sacrificial hearth" and was believed to be a reenactment of the god’s arrival in Athens. Sacrifices such as bulls and participants carrying phalli were believed to accompany the statue (Parke, 127).

The symbolic reenactment of the myth associated with Dionysus’ first arrival - Dionysus had come with his entourage from Eleutherai to spread wine and his cult to Athens but were initially rebuffed. In retaliation, Dionysus sent a plague that affected the genital parts of men. After consulting the oracle, they were advised to worship Dionysus and hold a procession with a phallus. The plague was lifted after these requirements were fulfilled (Parke, 126). ## 9th of Elaphebolion: The Proagon

Judges were selected by drawing lots from 10 jars to ensure the judges for that year couldn’t be bribed or favoritism of judges coming from the tribes of the performers (Parke, 132).

Public announcements were also made during this time such as (Parke, 133): - Spoils or tributes collected from the war - Accomplishments of notable people - Orphans of soldiers who died in the war effort - Slaves that were freed

Choregoi (financial sponsors of the chorus performers), poets, and actors were also allowed to announce the subjects of their upcoming plays to the public (Parke, 133).

10th of Elaphebolion: The The Pompe and Komos

The Pompe (Procession): A large public spectacle, the exact route is unknown but it was believed to stop at various shrines where more dances and offerings were given to the gods The entourage included (Parke, 127).: - “tray-bearers” (Skaphephoroi) - Metoikoi (resident aliens) carrying offering trays - “bottle-carriers” (Askophoroi) - Citizens carrying leather bottles (askoi) of wine - Kanephoros (high-born maiden) - carrying a golden basket of first fruits’ - Obeliai (‘like spits’) - large loaves of bread carried on thin rods

Large phalli were also carried and sacrifices such as bulls were escorted. The procession ended at the altar near the theatre where the sacrifices were made and most likely a communal feast of the meat followed.

The Komos: The evening ended with a revel - men would sing and dance in the streets illuminated by torches as they drank wine. It’s unsure if the scenes depicted in surviving pottery was of City Dionysia specifically or a general komos. (Parke, 128)

The Dramatic Contest Days (3–4 days)

Thespis was credited to the development of drama when he engaged with the chorus as a dialogue while he wore different masks and robes to represent different characters. This later lead to more actors being included on the stage. (Parke, 129).

Mornings began with three tragedies followed by a satyr play. A comedy was performed in the afternoons. Dithyrambic Contests, odes in honor of Dionysus, were later added as well (Parke, 129)

It was believed women were able to attend some plays since some accounts referenced women who attended some of the tragedies or perhaps they were not allowed to attend the comedies (Parke, 131). ## Post-Festival: The Inquest A public meeting, presided by the Council of the Five Hundred was essentially a review of the holiday to allow people to submit and address complaints, misconduct or illegal acts committed during the holiday (Parke, 135).

Parke, H. W. Festivals of the Athenians. Cornell University Press, 1986. Pickard-Cambridge, Arthur. The Dramatic Festivals of Athens. Revised by John Gould and D. M. Lewis, 2nd ed., Clarendon Press, 1968