DIONYSIA, festivals of Dionysus (q.v.). These were nu merous and widespread, the most famous being those of Attica, which were (I) the Little or Rustic Dionysia, a festival held in various country places in the month Poseideon (December), char acterized by simple, old-fashioned rites; (2) the Lenaea ("fes tival of Maenads"), in the following month, Gamelion, held at Athens; the chief rites were a festal procession and dramatic performances at the theatre of Dionysus; (3) the Anthesteria (q.v.), in the next month, Anthesterion; (4) The Great or City Dionysia, in Elaphebolion (about the end of March), also accom panied by dramatic performances (see DRAMA), and the most famous of all; (5) the Oschophoria ("Carrying of Grape-clus ters"), in Pyanepsion (about the end of October). The times and what we know of the ritual of these festivals show them to have been originally rites of a kind common in the worship of gods of fertility.
See A. Mommsen, Feste d. Stadt Athen (1898) ; L. R. Farnell, Cults of the Greek States (1896-1919) v., ch. vi.