Bendideia

Greek festival

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June 22, 2026

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The Bendideia was a Greek festival established in Athens in 429 BCE to honor the Thracian goddess Bendis, often associated with Artemis. The festival, held at the Piraeus seaport, featured two processions, a torch race on horseback, and an all-night vigil. It is notably the setting for Plato's Republic. The Bendideia was one of several elaborate festivals in ancient Greece, which also included the Panathenaea, the Great Dionysia, and the Olympic Games, each with unique rituals and purposes, often involving processions, sacrifices, and athletic or dramatic contests.123

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Bendis
…created a state festival, the Bendideia, for her. The first celebration was held on the 19th of Thargelion (May–June), 429 bc, at the Piraeus, the seaport of Athens. The festival included two processions, a torch race on horseback, and a vigil; it provided the dramatic setting for Plato’s Republic.
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…created a state festival, the Bendideia, for her. The first celebration was held on the 19th of Thargelion (May–June), 429 bc, at the Piraeus, the seaport of Athens. The festival included two processions, a torch race on horseback, and a vigil; it provided the dramatic setting for Plato’s Republic.
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