HERACLEIA
HERACLEIA (
Ἡράκλεια), festivals
celebrated in honour of Heracles, who was worshipped in many parts of Greece
not only as a hero, but as a god. Thus we hear of a festival celebrated at
Sicyon which lasted two days, the second of which was called Heracleia
(
Paus. 2.10.1). In Attica we meet with
Heracleia in several places, and in some they were celebrated with contests
(Harpocrat. p. 139; Demosth.
Fals. Leg. p. 379.125;
Aristoph. Frogs 651). But no details of
their celebration are given, except that the one referred to by Demosthenes
took place in the city about midsummer. In Boeotia Heracleia are mentioned
at Thisbe (
Paus. 9.32.2), at Tipha or Siphae
(
ibid. § 3). At Thebes, the birthplace
of the hero, a great festival was held in his honour under the name of
Iolaia. Other places where Heracles was honoured with games and contests are
known from inscriptions.
[
L.S]
