Lēnaea

Lēnaea, at Athens, festival in honour of Dionysus Lenaios, the epithet meaning either ‘of the lēnos’ (‘wine-vat’), or ‘of the lēnai’ (‘maenads’); it was celebrated on the twelfth day of the month named Lenaion among the Ionian Greeks, from the festival, but known as Gamelion at Athens, roughly January. There was a procession, but very little is known of the rites. Its chief importance lies in the dramatic competitions held in the Theatre of Dionysus which were inaugurated c.440 BC and in which comedy was particularly important.