Festivals and legends : the formation of Greek cities in the light of public ritual

War was a constant activity, almost a staple livelihood, in the cities of ancient Greece, and many public festivals served to promote and celebrate war. They entailed reunions of the whole community, often at the new year, for enrolling citizens or conducting games. Noel Robertson focuses on such festivals in Athens, Aprta, Argos, and two smaller centres, in order to reconstruct the social conditions reflected in the festival programs and settings. He begins with a close analysis of the extant evidence, bringing together for the first time the many small, scattered indications in familiar sources. He uses in addition new epigraphic and archaeological evidence which has recently come to light at Athens. Since ritual is by definition unchanging, public festivals can disclose earlier stages of social organization. Robertson also shows how the festivals gave rise, by way of aetiology (explanatory tales or legends), to some persistent misconceptions about the past. War was a constant activity, almost a staple livelihood, in the cities of ancient Greece, and many public festivals served to promote and celebrate war. They entailed reunions of the whole community, often at the new year, for enrolling citizens or conducting games. Noel Robertson focuses on such festivals in Athens, Aprta, Argos, and two smaller centres, in order to reconstruct the social conditions reflected in the festival programs and settings. He begins with a close analysis of the extant evidence, bringing together for the first time the many small, scattered indications in familiar sources. He uses in addition new epigraphic and archaeological evidence which has recently come to light at Athens. Since ritual is by definition unchanging, public festivals can disclose earlier stages of social organization. Robertson also shows how the festivals gave rise, by way of aetiology (explanatory tales or legends), to some persistent misconceptions about the past Frontmatter -- Contents -- Abbreviations -- Introduction -- Part I: Athens -- 1. The Hecatombaea, the Enrolment of Citizens, and Southeast Athens -- 2. The Synoecia, the Old Agora, and Attic Phratries -- 3. The Panathenaea, Northwest Athens, and the Enrolment of Citizens -- 4. The Oschophoria and Seafaring -- 5. The Olympieia and the Cavalry -- Part Two: Sparta -- 6. The Gymnopaediae and the Enrolment of Citizens -- 7. Polyandrion Burial and the Fate of the Dioscuri -- Part Three: Argos -- 8. The Parparonia and the Battle of Thyrea -- 9. A Festival of Cenchreae and the Battle of Hysiae -- Part Four: Messenia and Phigaleia -- 10. The Ithomaea and the Messenian Wars -- 11. A Festival of Heroes and the Ordeal of Fhigaleia -- Maps -- Index of Sources -- Index of Deities, Heroes, Shrines, Festivals -- General Index -- Backmatter Frontmatter 1 Contents 7 Abbreviations 11 Introduction 13 ATHENS 17 1. The Hecatombaea, the Enrolment of Citizens, and Southeast Athens 17 2. The Synoecia, the Old Agora, and Attic Phratries 46 3. The Panathenaea, Northwest Athens, and the Enrolment of Citizens 104 4. The Oschophoria and Seafaring 134 5. The Olympieia and the Cavalry 148 SPARTA 17 6. The Gymnopaediae and the Enrolment of Citizens 159 7. Polyandrion Burial and the Fate of the Dioscuri 178 ARGOS 159 8. The Parparonia and the Battle of Thyrea 189 9. A Festival of Cenchreae and the Battle of Hysiae 218 10. The Ithomaea and the Messenian Wars 227 11. A Festival of Heroes and the Ordeal of Fhigaleia 240 MAPS 261 Index of Sources 268 Index of Deities, Heroes, Shrines, Festivals 281 General Index 285