DEMETRIA  , a

Greek festival in honour of Demeter, held at seed-time, and lasting ten days . Nothing is known of it beyond the fact that the men who took part in it lashed one another with whips of bark (µoporrov), while the women made obscene jests . It is even doubtful whether it was a particular festival at all or only another name for the Eleusinia or Thesmophoria . The Dionysia also were called Demetria in honour of Demetrius Poliorcetes, upon whom divine honours were conferred by the Athenians . Hesychius, s.v . ,u6porrov; Pollux i . 37; Diod . Sic. v . 4; Plutarch, Demetrius, 12 ; Daremberg and Saglio, Dictionnaire des antiquites .