Dioscuria
(
Διοσκούρια or
Διοσκούρεια,
C. I. G. 1444). Festivals celebrated in
various parts of Greece in honour of the Dioscuri, the heroes Castor and
Polydeuces (Pollux). The Spartan Dioscuria, mentioned by Pausanias (iv. 27.1), were celebrated
with sacrifices, rejoicings, and drinking. At Cyrené the Dioscuri were likewise
honoured with a great festival (Schol.
ad
Pyth. v. 629). The Athenian festival of the Dioscuri has been mentioned under
Anakeia, where they were worshipped under the name
of
Ἄνακες. Their worship was very generally adopted in
Greece, especially in the Doric and Achaean States (Pausan. x. 33, 3; 38, 3), as we conclude
from the great number of temples dedicated to them; but scarcely anything is known respecting
the manner in which their festivals were celebrated.
The festival of the Dioscuri was celebrated at Rome with great splendour on the Ides of
Quinctilis, the 15th of July, the day on which they were believed to have assisted the Romans
against the Latins in the battle of the Lake Regillus. On this occasion the
equites, who regarded the Dioscuri as their patrons, went in a magnificent procession,
crowned with olive chaplets and wearing their state dress, the trabea, from the Temple of Mars
outside the city, through the main streets, across the Forum, and by the ancient temple of the
Dioscuri (
Dionys. vi. 13). See
Equites.