ANCH2030 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Greco-Roman Mysteries, Eleutherae, Lenaia
Week 7 lecture – dramas and mysteries
Festivals:
Closely tied to the success of the harvest and the agricultural year
Collective cycle
Late winter and early spring of the festivals
Public and drama part at the base of the sanctuary
Processions from the sea to Eleutherae (He who frees)
Parades, sacrifices, libations, drama and dithyramb contests (9 tragedies, 3 comedies, 10
choruses of boys and 10 choruses of men)
Aeschylus’ Persians (first and only extent historical tragedy)
Prize was based on the other elements of the whole trilogy
Tragedies:
Trojan war, house of Atreus
Curses, woman, children and after Troy
Thebes – stories of the city due to it’s origin
Relationship between men and women, parents and children – highest heights of love and
the depths of hatred
Bacchae:
Set in the remote past
From drama to mystery cult
Dionysus – traveller who changes form, shape and gender
Mystery Cults:
Lenaia and Dionysia to the Anthestreria
Thesmophoria large cult festival all over
3 day opening and drinking of new wine along with the honouring of the dead
When children would begin drinking (3-5 years old for boys)
Open to anyone who could speak Greek and who had not murdered anyone
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Closely tied to the success of the harvest and the agricultural year. Late winter and early spring of the festivals. Public and drama part at the base of the sanctuary. Processions from the sea to eleutherae (he who frees) Parades, sacrifices, libations, drama and dithyramb contests (9 tragedies, 3 comedies, 10 choruses of boys and 10 choruses of men) Aeschylus" persians (first and only extent historical tragedy) Prize was based on the other elements of the whole trilogy. Thebes stories of the city due to it"s origin. Relationship between men and women, parents and children highest heights of love and the depths of hatred. Dionysus traveller who changes form, shape and gender. 3 day opening and drinking of new wine along with the honouring of the dead. When children would begin drinking (3-5 years old for boys)
