Theoxenia (festival)

Theoxenia (Ancient Greek: θεοξένια; often ξένια; sometimes θεοδαίσια) were sacred feasts offered to gods or heroes, where the deities were treated as guests, or at times as hosts who invited mortals to dine.^[1] The Roman lectisternia were modeled on these Greek rites.^[1]

The Delphic Theoxenia was not the first of its kind. Early examples occur in Greek tradition, such as the banquet in Homer, where the twelve gods are entertained.^[2] Hesychius glosses Theoxenia as a “common feast of all the gods,” which may imply the twelve Olympians, though the scope was wider.^[3]

From very early times certain families or tribes honored specific gods or heroes with table-offerings on fixed occasions such as birthdays or moments of success and victory.^[4][5][6] This private observance is attested by Greek authors and by inscribed votive tablets.^[1] A Roman parallel is the story of the Potitii.^[7]

The term Xenia could denote both private and public theoxenia.^[5] From gentile cults arose public or civic celebrations, notably the Delphic Theoxenia, which gave its name to the month Theoxenios (March–April).^[8] The festival likely predated Apollo’s supremacy at Delphi, with Zeus first among the divine guests; in historical times Apollo and Latona were specially honored.^[8]

During these rites the gods were imagined to feast at multiple tables, singly or in pairs, each with a cushioned couch, the pulvinar.^[1] Unlike the Roman lectisternium, placing the statue on the couch was not required, though it sometimes occurred.^[7] Vase-paintings often indicate the deity’s presence symbolically.^[1] Athenaeus records that Delphians offered leeks to Latona, with a share of her table given to the bearer of the largest leek.^[9][8]

Pindar received a special invitation to Apollo’s table, proclaimed by the priest, an honor extended to his descendants.^[10][9] Delphian priests dined as ex officio human guests.^[9]

Apollo was not the most frequent recipient. Feasts were also held for Zeus Soter and Pluto at Athens, and often for deified heroes, especially the Dioscuri.^[9][11] Their cultic “hospitality” was widespread in Doric states and at Athens in the Prytaneion, and is reflected in inscriptions and reliefs.^[10][12] The motif linked the Twins with aid in battle, as in accounts where victors “entertain” them in thanks.^[13]

Dionysus was also commonly honored. At Andros the festival featured a miraculous outflow of wine from the temple, and his entertainments bore the special name Theodaisia (Θεοδαίσια), feast of the gods.^[11][3]