Ithomaia
The Ithomaia ( Greek Ἰθωμαῖα ) were a festival in ancient Greece in honor of Zeus Ithomatas , which was celebrated at an altar on Mount Ithome in Messenia .
Pausanias reports that the festival was the most important Messenian festival since the regained independence of the Messenians and was celebrated annually in his time. With reference to the Cyclic poet Eumelos of Corinth , he further reports that the Klepsydra spring, which rises from the Ithome, is the place in local mythology where Zeus was born and was supplied by the nymphs Ithome and Neda , which is why water from the spring to the Sanctuary was brought to the mountaintop. In Clemens von Alexandria a story has been passed down, according to which the Messenian hero Aristomenes sacrificed 300 Spartan prisoners and the Spartan king to Zeus Ithomatas , in which the religious historian Martin Persson Nilsson traces a Pharmakós cult and in connection with the legend about the source parallels to Cult of Arcadian Zeus Lycaion sees.
Little is known about the cult practice. Lists of cult participants from the year 38 BC are inscribed. Chr., In which various officials involved are listed. According to Pausanias, one of Ageladas of Argos was named in the 5th century BC. Chr. Created cult image of Zeus Ithomatas, which was kept by the annually changing priests. In the past, musical agons were also held. The cult image was identified on various Messenian coins, on which Zeus Ithomatas is depicted with lightning in one hand raised and an eagle in the other outstretched hand.
literature
- Ada Adler : Ithomatas. In: Paulys Realencyclopadie der classischen Antiquity Science (RE). Volume IX, 2, Stuttgart 1916, Col. 2804 f.
- Martin Persson Nilsson : Greek festivals of religious importance excluding the Attic. Teubner, Leipzig 1906. Reprint Teubner, Stuttgart 1995, ISBN 3-519-07254-8 ( digitized version )