The Power of Procession: The Greater Panathenaia and the Transformation of Athenian Public Spaces

Abstract

This thesis explores the ways in which the classical Panathenaic procession was able to transform the landscape and urban spaces of Athens, using literary and archaeological evidence. I discuss the major physical settings (buildings and spaces) associated with the procession and the ways in which they transform throughout their contact with the procession. I use the urban theory of ‘Mobilities in Situ’ (MIS) put forward by the modern urban theorist Ole B. Jensen (2013) as a framework for explaining the transformation of Athenian space as caused by the Panathenaic procession. Athenian social interactions, as a result of the Panathenaic procession, are considered transformative forces themselves and are discussed within the context of physical spaces throughout the city. This new approach aims to enhance our understanding of the physical and transformative nature of classical Athenian processions as a whole. This thesis offers a new lens with which to view this celebrated Athenian procession, one of many, with the intent of emphasizing its importance as a living, non-static entity that is made up of more than just its route and symbols. I discuss the expansion of the Athenian sacred landscape, with the inclusion of a number of buildings and spaces, a process which completely transforms the city from its usual appearance. In addition, I provide a thorough discussion that sheds new light on the location of the Panathenaic sacrifices to Athena. This study aims to provide a new understanding of the overall importance of processions in Athenian life, while offering a framework for discussing the transformation of space in other processions throughout the Mediterranean.