The great festival of Panathenaia (the birthday festival of Athena) was held in the height of summer of the 28th day in Hecatombaion – if only you could have been there with me to experience it first hand. I’m just going to have to explain to you what happened! We all gathered at the Dipylon gate at dawn on the morning of the feast, and arranged ourselves in the proper order. At the head of …showed first 75 words of 833 total…

…showed last 75 words of 833 total…sacrificed and then the ergastinai entered the chamber of Athena in the Erechtheion and changed her peplos. Then the ceremony ended with a feast – a set number of people from each deme selected by lot ate the cooked meat of the sacrificed animals alongside bread and cakes. The day left me with a sense of pride of being Athenian and awe of Athena and the strength she has given and will continue to give Athens.