The Economic Side of Greek Festivals: Some Examples from Roman Greece (Extended Abstract)

In the Greek polis, religion represented an important part of civic finances, and public revenues were usually destined to at least partially cover expenses pertaining to the cultic sphere. In the civic budget reserved for religion, a special place was given to the costs connected with the organization of festivals.2 Indeed, festivals implied several expenses for: the celebration of sacrifices, processions and banquets, the provision of sacred equipment, the construction or restoration of buildings and displays used for athletic and theatrical events, the remuneration of attendants and artists, and for the provision of prizes for victors in the agones. My paper tries to answer the question of how these costs were covered by the local communities, focusing on the poleis of Roman Greece.