Σαρι παναθηναικοσ

You may have heard about Panathenaea, the most important festival of ancient Athens, but have you ever wondered who “Sari Panathenaea” is?

In mythological times, the goddess Athena intended to give the best present ever to the city of Athens, a brand-new polis, for her birthday. The Athenians loved their polis and they decided to celebrate the day with sports events and artistic performances, and that became the Panathenaea festival.

But there was a small issue with the date; Goddess Athena requested it to be in the middle of the summer when the best athletes were away.
So what could they do to keep the quality of the festival high?

The answer was Sari Panathenaia! Every four years there was a bigger festival, and the Athenians celebrated it in the fall when everyone was back home after the travel season. Thus, they called it Sari Panathenaia, meaning Great Panathenaia.

Sari Panathenaia was like the “Super Bowl” of ancient Athens. Not only did it feature the best athletes from all over Greece, but there were also religious ceremonies, feasts, and a grand procession through the city.

The highlight of Sari Panathenaia was the peplos, a giant embroidered robe that was presented to the cult statue of Athena on the Acropolis. The peplos was made by the priestesses using the finest wool and was decorated with scenes from mythology and Athenian life.

The procession was led by the priestess of Athena, who carried the peplos on her head. She was followed by the magistrates, the members of the Council of Five Hundred, and the citizens of Athens. The procession wound its way through the streets, past the temples and monuments, to the Acropolis.

Sari Panathenaia was a time for the Athenians to come together and celebrate their city. It was a day of pride and patriotism, and a reminder of the city’s greatness.