How the Greeks saw Athena changed how they lived and what they did in life. They did countless things to try and please Athena because they thought that if they did not they would make her mad. They believed if they made a god mad, then something bad would happen to them in return. Athena was one out of the many gods that the Greeks had. She changed the Greek’s life, culture, and a city. I think for one goddess is strange, considering that she was not the most powerful god that the Greeks had. They had 12 major Olympian gods and they changed so much for just one of them. To this Athena inspired stories about her, the citizens told the stories of the great deeds that she did for them and others. They also told stories of the terrible acts she …show more content…
During this festival, they held a musical contest, a gymnastic contest, an equestrian contest, and the Pyrrhic dance was performed. Each of these event that the Greeks were meant to please the goddess Athena in some way. People from all across Greece would come together and celebrate this festival. Everyone who participated in the contest were given prizes. Although for the Pyrrhic dance, since it was the religious part of the festival, the winner was given the prize of an ox for sacrifice to Athena. This was a great honor among the Greeks, to win was a great occasion. Also during the festival, there was on night dedicated to Athena called the Pannychis, which was held on the twenty-eighth day. This is where the people of Greece had a relay with torches to honor Athena, this race was called Lampadedromia. After the race, the Greeks would be lead in prayer but the elder priestesses to Athena. There would also be songs sung by men and women while the young danced (Atsma, 2017). Not only was there a day solely for Athena but the also sacrificed many animals to her throughout the festival. The most common sacrifice was an ox