Lampteria
Lampteria ( ancient Greek Λαμπτήρια ) were a festival in ancient Greece in honor of the god Dionysus Lampteros , which was celebrated annually in the Achaean city of Pellene .
The festival was celebrated at night in the sanctuary of Dionysus Lampterus, which was opposite the sanctuary of Artemis Soteira . At the beginning of the festival, a torch relay to the sanctuary was held, and craters were set up throughout the city for the occasion , which served as mixing vessels for wine and water.
The religious historian Martin Persson Nilsson sees the festival as an originally orgiastic welcoming ceremony for the appearing God, as indicated by the torch relay at night. Only later is it said to have been expanded with the provision of the wine for the wine festival.
literature
- Wilhelm Kroll : Lampteria. In: Paulys Realencyclopadie der classischen Antiquity Science (RE). Volume XII, 1, Stuttgart 1924, Col. 592.
- Martin Persson Nilsson : Greek festivals of religious importance excluding the Attic. Teubner, Leipzig 1906, p. 303 ( digitized version ).