Panathenaea: Or, A Singular Book on the Twin Festival of Minerva

PANATHENÆA.

CAP. VII.

And the contest celebrated in the lesser festival, which was threefold. The care of this was entrusted to the Athlothetai. How many were chosen, and from where; and how long they were accustomed to perform that office.

There was a contest in the lesser festival. Hesychius a Greek grammarian and lexicographer writes: "Panathenaea, a festival of the Athenians, and a contest." Apollodorus in book III: "He came to Athens, and performed the contest of the Panathenaea." Aristides in his Panathenaic Oration: "The contests in Greece are all very glorious. And indeed, the most ancient of these is the one of the Panathenaea." Pausanias in his Arcadian history: "For this contest had the name Athenaea, but they say it was called Panathenaea at the time of Theseus."

It was indeed threefold: one equestrian, another gymnastic, and the third musical. The care of all of these was entrusted to the Athlothetai officials in charge of the games, who were ten in number, one chosen from each tribe, and they served in their magistracy for four years. Pollux in book VIII, chapter IX, section VI: "There are ten Athlothetai, one according to each tribe. Once approved, they govern for four years, for the purpose of organizing the Panathenaea, both the musical, the gymnastic, and the horse race." Aristides mentions the musical and gymnastic contests in his Panathenaic Oration: "We are, I suppose, acquainted with the gymnastic contest, and even more so with the musical one, which is not defined just once, but ends, so to speak, on each day."