In Greek religion , an Athenian festival of great antiquity.
Originally an annual event, it was eventually celebrated every fourth year, probably in deliberate rivalry to the Olympic Games . It consisted of the sacrifices and rites proper to the season (mid-August) in the cult of Athena , the city's protectress. Representatives of all the dependencies of Athens came to the Panathenaea. The great procession, made up of the heroes of the Battle of Marathon , is the subject of the frieze of the Parthenon . The participants offered Athena an embroidered robe and sacrificed animals; there were also poetry recitations (later replaced by a musical contest) and athletic competitions.