agraulia

AGRAU´LIA(ἀγραυλία) was a festival celebrated by the Athenians in honour of Agraulos, the daughter of Cecrops. (Dict. of Biogr. s. v.) We possess no particulars respecting the time or mode of its celebration; but it was, perhaps, connected with the solemn oath which all Athenians, when they arrived at manhood (ἔφηβοι), were obliged to take in the temple of Agraulos, that they would fight for their country, and always observe its laws. (Lycurg. c. Leocr. § 76; Dem. de F. L. p. 438.303; Plut. Alc. 15; Stobaeus, Serm. 41.141; Schömann, de Comitiis, p. 332; Wachsmuth, Hellen. Alterth. vol. 1. p. 476, 2nd ed.)

Agraulos was also honoured with a festival in Cyprus, in the month Aphrodisius, at which human victims were offered. (Porphyr. de Abstin. ab Anim. 1.2.)