Anthesteria

<h2 id="name">Name</h2>
The name is usually connected with anthes- (ἀνθεσ-), the combining form of anthos (ἄνθος, 'flower').<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6">6</a> This is <a href="/facts/Cognate/nXETf5Y4">cognate</a> with <a href="/facts/Sanskrit/ychfjhlx">Sanskrit</a> andhas ('<a href="/facts/Soma_(drink)/z3H3Uy1X">soma</a> plant')<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7">7</a> and may have referred to the 'bloom' of the <a href="/facts/Grape_vine/tBYRT6ET">grape vine</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8">8</a> The <a href="/facts/Cambridge_ritualist/91AGy5dD">Cambridge ritualist</a> <a href="/facts/A._W._Verrall/PAfT10kn">A. W. Verrall</a>, however, glossed the name as a Feast of Revocation (ἀναθέσσασθαι, anathessasthai, to "pray up") in reference to the aspects of the festival where the dead were considered to walk among the living.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9">9</a> <a href="/facts/Jane_Ellen_Harrison/VTgwnvT1">Harrison</a> also regarded the Anthesteria as primarily concerned with placating ancestral spirits.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10">10</a>

<h2 id="origins">Origins</h2>
Athenians of the Classical age were aware that the festival was of great antiquity. Its ritual marriage of a queen to Dionysus recalls <a href="/facts/Greek_mythology/M7k4FvW8">myths</a> concerning <a href="/facts/Theseus/xgTdm0Jh">Theseus</a> and <a href="/facts/Ariadne/DEhC9Rd3">Ariadne</a>,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11">11</a> but this is no longer considered a dependable sign that the festival had been celebrated in the Minoan period. Since the festival was celebrated by Athens and all the Ionian cities, however, it is assumed that it must have preceded the <a href="/facts/Ionian_migration/ytP7x2xf">Ionian migration</a> of the late eleventh or early tenth century BC. This still makes it the oldest datable part of the <a href="/facts/Eleusinian_Mysteries/SlEzsbzC">Eleusinian Mysteries</a>.

<h2 id="days">Days</h2>
<h3>Pithoigia</h3>
The first day was Pithoigia (Πιθοίγια, lit. 'The Jar-Opening').<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12">12</a> The jars of wine (<a href="/facts/Pithos/JWVBSUPd">pithoi</a>) from the previous year were opened, libations offered to <a href="/facts/Dionysus/4kBSl2Kp">Dionysus</a>, and the entire household (including <a href="/facts/Slaves_in_ancient_Greece/JrWenYeE">slaves</a>) joining in the festivities. Spring flowers were used to decorate the rooms of the house, the home's drinking vessels, and any children over three years of age.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13">13</a>
The days on which the Pithoigia and Choës were celebrated were both regarded as apophrades (ἀποφράδες, 'unlucky'; Latin equivalent <a href="/facts/Glossary_of_ancient_Roman_religion/GTKkzEdB">nefasti</a>) and miarai (μιαραί, 'defiled'), necessitating expiatory libations. On them, the souls of the dead came up from the underworld and walked abroad. People chewed leaves of <a href="/facts/Crataegus_monogyna/wFXGSRXG">hawthorn</a> or <a href="/facts/Buckthorn/tmKe17jp">buckthorn</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:14" href="#fn:14">14</a> and besmeared their doors with tar to protect themselves from evil. Nonetheless, the festive character of the ceremonies predominated.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:15" href="#fn:15">15</a>

<h3>Choes</h3>
The second day was Choës (Χοαί, Khoaí, lit. 'The Pouring'). Merrymaking continued: people dressed themselves gaily, some in the figures of Dionysus's entourage, and paid a round of visits to their acquaintances. Drinking clubs held contests to see who could drain their cups the most rapidly. These competitions were done in silence and slaves were also allowed to participate. Others poured libations on the tombs of deceased relatives. The day also marked a state occasion: a peculiarly solemn and secret ceremony in the sanctuary of Dionysus 'in the marshes' (ἐν λίμναις, en límnais), which was closed throughout the rest of the year.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:16" href="#fn:16">16</a> Despite the name, there were no actual marshes in the immediate surroundings of Athens<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:17" href="#fn:17">17</a> and the sanctuary was located in the <a href="/facts/Bouleuterion/Ps9h5Ygw">Bouleuterion</a> in the <a href="/facts/Athenian_Agora/XNYUNmw2">Athenian Agora</a>. Athens' ritual queen, the <a href="/facts/Basilinna/byC7ycC5">basilinna</a>, underwent a <a href="/facts/Hierogamy/zjvaDnTP">ceremony of marriage to the god</a>. She was assisted by the <a href="/facts/Gerarai/baxlbAqL">gerarai</a>, 14 Athenian matrons chosen by her husband the <a href="/facts/Archon_basileus/xj94JCMu">archon basileus</a>, who were sworn to secrecy.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:18" href="#fn:18">18</a> <a href="/facts/Walter_Burkert/hbSlIfNH">Burkert</a> regarded the ceremony as a recreation of the yielding of <a href="/facts/Ariadne/DEhC9Rd3">Ariadne</a> to <a href="/facts/Dionysus/4kBSl2Kp">Dionysus</a> by <a href="/facts/Theseus/xgTdm0Jh">Theseus</a> during their escape from Crete.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:19" href="#fn:19">19</a>

<h3>Chytroi</h3>
The third day was Chytroi (Χύτροι, Khýtroi, lit. 'The Pots'),<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:20" href="#fn:20">20</a> a <a href="/facts/Festival_of_the_dead/UC3GQaqQ">festival of the dead</a>. Fruit or cooked <a href="/facts/Pulse_(legume)/x6s6gVHY">pulse</a> was offered to <a href="/facts/Hermes/bRt3Jrva">Hermes</a> in his capacity as Hermes Chthonios, an underworld figure, and to the souls of the dead, who were then bidden to depart.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:21" href="#fn:21">21</a> None of the Olympians were included and no one tasted the <a href="/facts/Pottage/E9K81Skp">pottage</a>, which was food of the dead. Celebration continued and <a href="/facts/Ancient_Greek_sports/Nx3pTAoL">games</a> were held. Although no performances were allowed at the theater, a sort of rehearsal took place, at which the players for the ensuing dramatic festival were selected.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:22" href="#fn:22">22</a>

<h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>
<ul><li><a href="/facts/Athenian_festivals/1GnscEDN">Athenian festivals</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Attic_calendar/oeNA1VNB">Attic Calendar</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Dionysia/LaNllRj5">Dionysia</a> and <a href="/facts/Bacchanalia/zdYqy5rP">Bacchanalia</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Ganachakra/jsaadJ4c">Ganachakra</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Lenaia/CMNNBVAE">Lenaia</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Rosalia_(festival)/85IMJ2c3">Rosalia</a> and <a href="/facts/Feast_of_the_Lemures/SuG0UDaj">Feast of the Lemures</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/All_Souls%2527_Night/aAFzwzEo">All Souls' Night</a>, <a href="/facts/Day_of_the_Dead/RAx7pu1B">Day of the Dead</a>, and <a href="/facts/Carnival/zwDJMMS9">carnival</a></li></ul>
<h2 id="notes">Notes</h2>

<h2 id="citations">Citations</h2>

<ul><li>Baynes, T. S., ed. (1878), <a href="https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica,_Ninth_Edition/Anthesteria">"Anthesteria" </a>, <a href="/facts/Encyclop%25C3%25A6dia_Britannica/CEyVsjlN">Encyclopædia Britannica</a>, vol. 2 (9th ed.), New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, p. 103</li>
<li><a href="/facts/Walter_Burkert/hbSlIfNH">Burkert, Walter</a> (1985), Greek Religion, translated by Raffan, John, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press</li>
<li>Cole, Susan Guettel (2007), "Finding Dionysus", in Ogden, Daniel (ed.), A Companion to Greek Religion, Blackwell</li>
<li><a href="/facts/Jane_Ellen_Harrison/VTgwnvT1">Harrison, Jane Ellen</a> (1908), "The Anthesteria: the Ritual of Ghosts and Spirits", Prolegomena to the study of Greek religion, p. <a href="https://archive.org/stream/prolegomenatost01harrgoog#page/n67/mode/1up">35</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Martin_P._Nilsson/EHHkTUah">Nilsson, Martin P.</a> (1900), Studia de Dionysiis Atticis</li>
<li><a href="/facts/Martin_P._Nilsson/EHHkTUah">Nilsson, Martin P.</a> (1906), Griechische Feste. (in German)</li>
<li>Rohde, Eleanor (1907), Psyche, 4th ed., p. 237</li></ul>
Attribution:

<ul><li> This article incorporates text from a publication now in the <a href="/facts/Public_domain/YWKMDKw4">public domain</a>: <a href="/facts/Hugh_Chisholm/2vWblUBe">Chisholm, Hugh</a>, ed. (1911), "Anthesteria", <a href="/facts/Encyclop%25C3%25A6dia_Britannica_Eleventh_Edition/mPElbCRY">Encyclopædia Britannica</a>, vol. 2 (11th ed.), Cambridge University Press, pp. 93–94 Endnotes:
<ul><li>Harrison, J.E. (1903), Prolegomena to the Study of Greek Religion</li>
<li><a href="/facts/A.W._Verrall/PAfT10kn">Verrall, A.W.</a> (1900), <a href="https://zenodo.org/record/1783221">" "</a>, Journal of Hellenic Studies, xx: 115, <a href="/facts/Doi_(identifier)/muM9Etpq">doi</a>:<a href="https://doi.org/10.2307%2F623746">10.2307/623746</a>, <a href="/facts/JSTOR_(identifier)/YTeVmaJ7">JSTOR</a> <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/623746">623746</a>, <a href="/facts/S2CID_(identifier)/ldJsHa2Y">S2CID</a> <a href="https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:164148837">164148837</a></li></ul></li></ul>
<h2 id="further-reading">Further reading</h2>
<ul><li><a href="/facts/Walter_Burkert/hbSlIfNH">Burkert, Walter</a> (1971), <a href="/facts/Homo_necans/u4MIJrSg">Homo necans</a></li></ul>
<h2 id="external-links">External links</h2>
<ul><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20070820203409/http://www.cs.utk.edu/~mclennan/BA/JO-Anth.html">The Anthesteria</a> Bibliotheca Arcana (1997)</li></ul>

<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1">The month Anthesterion is named after the festival and not vice versa.[1] <a href="/wiki/Anthesterion" target="_blank">/wiki/Anthesterion</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:2">Thucydides noted that "the more ancient Dionysia were celebrated on the twelfth day of the month of Anthesterion in the temple of Dionysus Limnaios ("Dionysus in the Marshes").[2] <a href="/wiki/Thucydides" target="_blank">/wiki/Thucydides</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:3">Chisholm 1911, p. 93. - Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911), "Anthesteria", Encyclopædia Britannica, vol. 2 (11th ed.), Cambridge University Press, pp. 93–94 <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:4">That is, either the souls of the dead or the shades of the aboriginal inhabitants of Attica. <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:5">Harrison 1908, p. 35. - Harrison, Jane Ellen (1908), "The Anthesteria: the Ritual of Ghosts and Spirits", Prolegomena to the study of Greek religion, p. 35 <a href="https://archive.org/stream/prolegomenatost01harrgoog#page/n67/mode/1up" target="_blank">https://archive.org/stream/prolegomenatost01harrgoog#page/n67/mode/1up</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:6">Chisholm 1911, p. 93. - Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911), "Anthesteria", Encyclopædia Britannica, vol. 2 (11th ed.), Cambridge University Press, pp. 93–94 <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:7">"अन्धस् (ándhas)". Wiktionary. Retrieved 2020-05-02. <a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A7%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D#Sanskrit" target="_blank">https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A7%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D#Sanskrit</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:8">Chisholm 1911, p. 93. - Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911), "Anthesteria", Encyclopædia Britannica, vol. 2 (11th ed.), Cambridge University Press, pp. 93–94 <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:9">Chisholm 1911, p. 94 cites: Verrall 1900, p. 115 - Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911), "Anthesteria", Encyclopædia Britannica, vol. 2 (11th ed.), Cambridge University Press, pp. 93–94 <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:10">Chisholm 1911, p. 94 cites: Verrall 1900, pp. 100, 109; Harrison 1903 - Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911), "Anthesteria", Encyclopædia Britannica, vol. 2 (11th ed.), Cambridge University Press, pp. 93–94 <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:11">Burkert 1985, §II.7.7, p 109. - Burkert, Walter (1985), Greek Religion, translated by Raffan, John, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:12">Harrison argued that the jars in question should also or instead be understood as the urns used for burial, making the Pithoigia a feast of opening the graves, initiating the arrival of the dead among the living. <a href="/wiki/Jane_Ellen_Harrison" target="_blank">/wiki/Jane_Ellen_Harrison</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:13">Baynes 1878. - Baynes, T. S., ed. (1878), "Anthesteria" , Encyclopædia Britannica, vol. 2 (9th ed.), New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, p. 103 <a href="https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica,_Ninth_Edition/Anthesteria" target="_blank">https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica,_Ninth_Edition/Anthesteria</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:14">Photius, Lexicon, μ 439: "μιαρὰ ἡμέρα". <a href="/wiki/Photios_I_of_Constantinople" target="_blank">/wiki/Photios_I_of_Constantinople</a> <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:15">Chisholm 1911, p. 94. - Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911), "Anthesteria", Encyclopædia Britannica, vol. 2 (11th ed.), Cambridge University Press, pp. 93–94 <a href="#fnref:15" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:16">Baynes 1878. - Baynes, T. S., ed. (1878), "Anthesteria" , Encyclopædia Britannica, vol. 2 (9th ed.), New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, p. 103 <a href="https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica,_Ninth_Edition/Anthesteria" target="_blank">https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica,_Ninth_Edition/Anthesteria</a> <a href="#fnref:16" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:17">Walter Burkert points out that this implies the name must have been imported with the cult. <a href="#fnref:17" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:18">Baynes 1878. - Baynes, T. S., ed. (1878), "Anthesteria" , Encyclopædia Britannica, vol. 2 (9th ed.), New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, p. 103 <a href="https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica,_Ninth_Edition/Anthesteria" target="_blank">https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica,_Ninth_Edition/Anthesteria</a> <a href="#fnref:18" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:19">Burkert 1985, §II.7.7, p. 109. - Burkert, Walter (1985), Greek Religion, translated by Raffan, John, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press <a href="#fnref:19" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:20">Harrison argued that the name should be understood as a reference to grave holes, not pots. Rohde[13] and Nilsson[14][15] took it to mean water pots, connecting it with the Hydrophoria honoring the spirits of the dead thought to have perished in the Great Flood of Deucalion. <a href="/wiki/Jane_Ellen_Harrison" target="_blank">/wiki/Jane_Ellen_Harrison</a> <a href="#fnref:20" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:21">Chisholm 1911, p. 94. - Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911), "Anthesteria", Encyclopædia Britannica, vol. 2 (11th ed.), Cambridge University Press, pp. 93–94 <a href="#fnref:21" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:22">Baynes 1878. - Baynes, T. S., ed. (1878), "Anthesteria" , Encyclopædia Britannica, vol. 2 (9th ed.), New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, p. 103 <a href="https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica,_Ninth_Edition/Anthesteria" target="_blank">https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica,_Ninth_Edition/Anthesteria</a> <a href="#fnref:22" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
</ol>

Anthesteria open-in-new

Anthesteria