A Letter Explaining The Experience Of The Festival Panathena

We all gathered at the Dipylon gate at dawn on the morning of the feast, and arranged ourselves in the proper order. At the head of the convoy are the arrhephoroi (four virgins of noble birth) carrying the peplos (woven piece of rectangular cloth about 2 by 1.5 metres) for Athena Polias.

Behind the arrhephoroi were Athena’s priestesses with the women bearing gifts for Athena. Next came the animals, ready for the sacrifice and the leaders of the sacrifice and anyone else involved in the sacrifice.

Metics, foreigners in there purple cloaks came next carrying offerings of cakes and sweet honey. On there tails are the holy water carriers and musicians playing there aulas and kithara.

Next come the old wise bearded men and the army commanders carrying olive branches. The Apobates, the armed warriors ride in chariots and run along. The cavalry follows the chariots on their horses, walking, trotting and cantering.

I brought up the rear, where the rest of the populati

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The temple itself is quite small and has columns of the Ionic order.

Then the procession stopped outside the Propylaia while sacrifices were offered on the neighbouring hill Areopagus and at the altar of Athena Hygiaea. This is was where those who were not native born Athenians left and we all made our way up the large ramp towards the entrance of the Propylaia.

The day left me with a sense of pride of being Athenian and awe of Athena and the strength she has given and will continue to give Athens.

To our left was the great Pinakotheka (or Dining Room and Picture Gallery) where the priests and priestess would dine after the sacrifices.

The large Doric columns we could see from the front were surprisingly hiding more decorative, skinnier Ionic columns.

The route through the Propylaia was very interesting and rather long – first of all we all gathered at the Dipylon gate and then set off, moving along the Panathenaic way through the Agora whilst singing hymns to Athena. The pediment is plain, not wanting to distract from the great Parthenon itself.

The entrance to it was on the side, up a little flight of stairs. I’d heard that it was full of pictures depicting the greatest moments in Athenian history.

We could see the Erechtheion rising above us on the hill (it almost seemed like mount Olympus up here!) and of course the grand Parthenon standing tall. They’d feel they were inferior to us Athenians.

Now the animals were sacrificed and then the ergastinai entered the chamber of Athena in the Erechtheion and changed her peplos.

Everyone gasped and at this moment I felt very proud to be Athenian and could see why they didn’t allow non-Athenians through – it would after all only provoke feelings of envy and exclusion from them. The large columns made of the Doric order stood strong and seemed to reflect the strength that the great Athena had given Athens.

Common topics in this essay:
Athena Polias, Pediment Propylaia, , Athenians Erechtheion, Picture Gallery, Athena Erechtheion, Temple Nike, Fights Pheidias, Panathenaic Agora, Parthenon Prayers, gathered dipylon, dipylon gate, gathered dipylon gate,

Approximate Word count = 835
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

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