The Pompaia is an obscure yet fascinating festival from the ancient Athenian (Attic) calendar, celebrated during the month of Maimakterion (roughly mid-November to mid-December). Though few records of it survive, scholars and modern Hellenic practitioners have pieced together its likely purpose: a ritual of purification and protection held at the onset of winter’s storms. The name Pompaia  derives from pompe  (πομπή), meaning “procession,” suggesting a ceremonial parade of sa

After a day of beans, grapes, and myth during the Pyanepsia and Oskhophoria, the Athenians weren’t done yet. The very next day, they held...

While the Athenians celebrated the Pyanepsia with beans and blessings for the harvest, another festival was happening on the very same...

When we think of ancient Greek festivals, our minds often jump to the grand spectacles—like the Olympic Games or the dramatic...