Heraean Games

The Heraia (Greek Ἡραῖα, also Heräen or Heraien ) were celebrations in honor of Hera, the guardian of marriage, and goddess of women in ancient Greece. They were held from the 6th century BC until the Roman Imperial period in several Greek cities.

The best known was the festival in Olympia, which probably took place every four years, by the Olympics. The only surviving description of Heräen can be found in the travel description of Pausanias.

In the center of the celebrations was a woman sports festival, the highlight of which was a run over 160 m. Unlike the competitors at the Olympics, the participants were dressed in the Heräen. The winners received olive wreaths and parts of a cow sacrificed to Hera.

The priestess of Hera cult drove in a chariot drawn by four white cattle car to the Temple of Hera, the Heraion, and were accompanied in arms in a solemn procession from the valiant crew and people. A general sacrifice feast and various competitions joined to a large bull sacrifice. So the fighter (s) threw for example javelins on an erected as a target plate. The prize consisted in an iron shield and a wreath of myrtle.

Heräen also committed in Argos, but also in Elis, on Aegina and in Stratonikeia in Caria.