<P> The Panathenaea ( Ancient Greek : Παναθήναια , `` all - Athenian festival '' ) was the most important festival for Athens and one of the grandest in the entire ancient Greek world . Except for slaves , all inhabitants of the polis could take part in the festival . This holiday of great antiquity is believed to have been the observance of Athena 's birthday and honoured the goddess as the city 's patron divinity , Athena Polias ( ' Athena of the city ' ) . A procession assembled before dawn at the Dipylon gate in the northern sector of the city . The procession , led by the Kanephoros , made its way to the Areopagus and in front of the Temple of Athena Nike next to the Propylaea . Only Athenian citizens were allowed to pass through the Propylaea and enter the Acropolis . The procession passed the Parthenon and stopped at the great altar of Athena in front of the Erechtheum . Every four years a newly woven peplos was dedicated to Athena . </P>
<P> The Panathenaea ( Ancient Greek : Παναθήναια , `` all - Athenian festival '' ) was the most important festival for Athens and one of the grandest in the entire ancient Greek world . Except for slaves , all inhabitants of the polis could take part in the festival . This holiday of great antiquity is believed to have been the observance of Athena 's birthday and honoured the goddess as the city 's patron divinity , Athena Polias ( ' Athena of the city ' ) . A procession assembled before dawn at the Dipylon gate in the northern sector of the city . The procession , led by the Kanephoros , made its way to the Areopagus and in front of the Temple of Athena Nike next to the Propylaea . Only Athenian citizens were allowed to pass through the Propylaea and enter the Acropolis . The procession passed the Parthenon and stopped at the great altar of Athena in front of the Erechtheum . Every four years a newly woven peplos was dedicated to Athena . </P>
what was the celebration dedicated to athena called
what was the celebration dedicated to athena called
The Panathenaea
The Panathenaea