Thesmophoria

Abstract

A citizen women's-only festival organized within cities' official religious CALENDAR, the Thesmophoria was celebrated throughout the Greek world over several days, three at Athens and ten at Syracuse, in honor of DEMETER and PERSEPHONE to promote the FERTILITY of the fields just prior to their sowing. Women carried out their own SACRIFICES without the presence of any males, who were not permitted to view or know of the rites. At Athens, the first day was the Anodos, the "going up," when the women made their way to the festival, while the second was the Nesteia, "fast;" probably an exercise of ritual empathy with the goddess Demeter's fasting in her grief over the abduction. of her daughter, as well as being a purificatory rite.