brasideia

BRASIDEIA(βρασίδεια), a festival celebrated at Sparta in honour of their great general Brasidas, who, after his death, in B.C. 422, received the honours of a hero. (Paus. 3.14.1; Aristot. Eth. Nic. 5.7.) It was held every year with orations and contests, in which none but Spartans were allowed to partake.

Brasideia were also celebrated at Amphipolis, which, though a colony of Athens, transferred the honour of κτίστης from Hagnon to Brasidas, who was buried there, and paid him heroic honours by an annual festival with sacrifices and contests. (Thucyd. 5.11.)