Lenaia

The Lenaia (Ancient Greek: Λήναια) was an annual Athenian festival with a dramatic competition. It was one of the lesser festivals of Athens and Ionia in ancient Greece. The Lenaia took place in Athens in the month of Gamelion, roughly corresponding to January. The festival was in honour of Dionysos Lenaios. "Lenaia" probably comes from "lenai", another name for the Maenads (the female worshippers of Dionysos).

The Lenaia is depicted on numerous vases, which show both typical Maenad scenes and those of aristocrats and wine-mixing rituals. It is unknown exactly what kind of worship occurred at the festival, but it may have been in honour of Dionysos as a youth or the rebirth of Dionysos after his murder by the Cyclopes. It may have also had some connection with the Eleusinian Mysteries, as some of the same religious officials were involved (such as the archon basileus and the epimeletai). These officials led the procession (pompe – πομπή), which probably ended with a sacrifice of some kind.