tithenidia

TITHENI´DIA(τιθηϝίδια), a festival celebrated at Sparta by the nurses who had the care of the male children of the citizens. On this occasion the nurses (τιτθαὶ) carried the little boys out of the city to the temple of Artemis surnamed Corythallia, which was situated on the bank of the stream Tiasa. Here the nurses sacrificed sucking-pigs on behalf of the children, and then had a feast, probably of the meat of the victims, with which they ate bread baked in an oven (ἰπνίτας ἄρτους,) Athen. 4. p. 139; cf. Plut. Sympos. 3.9, Quaest. Gr. 7. p. 211, Wyttenb.; Hesych. s. v. κορυθαλλιστρίαι.)

(τιθηνίδια). A festival held by those Spartan nurses (τιτθαί) who had charge of the male children of citizens. During its celebration they carried the boys to the Temple of Artemis and sacrificed sucking-pigs in their honour (Athen. iv. p. 139; Plut. Sympos. iii. 9).