History of the Peloponnesian War

And from his time even to this day the Athenians have celebrated at the public expense a festival called the Synoecia,[*]("Feast of the Union," celebrated on the sixteenth of the month Hecatombaeon.) in honour of the goddess. Before this[*](i.e. before the Synoecismus, or union of Attica under Theseus.) what is now the Acropolis was the city, together with the region at the foot of the Acropolis toward the south.

And the proof of this is as follows: On the Acropolis itself are the sanctuaries[*](It is taken for granted that these temples were ancient foundations.) of the other gods as well as of Athena,[*](A lacuna in the text is generally assumed; Classen would supply καὶ τὰ τῆς Ἀθηνᾶς after θεῶν ἐστι, and I translate this.) and the sanctuaries which are outside the Acropolis are situated more in that quarter of the city, namely those of Olympian Zeus, of Pythian Apollo, of Earth, and of Dionysus in Limnae, in whose honour are celebrated the more ancient Dionysia[*](The Anthesteria, contrasted with the Lenaea, which was also an ancient festival, but of less antiquity. The city Dionysia was of comparatively recent origin.) the twelfth of the month Anthesterion, just as the Ionian descendants of the Athenians also are wont even now to celebrate it. In that quarter are also situated still other ancient sanctuaries.