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Other games:
Pythia
| Isthmia
| Nemea
| Panathenaea
| Heraea |
Asclepiea
Heraea
The Heraean games were conducted in honor of goddess Hera in the sanctuary dedicated to her, at Prosymna in the wider Mycenae area, 8 km northeast of Argos. The Heraea were conducted already from the Geometric and Archaic period, originally every three years and later on every five years, from the end of June to the beginning of July. The competitions were athletic (running, stade, hoplite, dolichos, pentathlon), equestrian and chariot races, as well as music and drama competitions. The winners received a crown of myrtle and bronze prizes, such as shields, tripods, caldrons and urns. As a result of the bronze prizes, the Heraea were also known by the name of "Chalkeos agon" (Bronze competition). During the 4th-3th century BC, the games were known as "Ekatomboea" whereas from the second half of the 3rd century BC the games were celebrated in Argos along with the Nemean and were named "Heraea at Argos". From the 1st century AD the games were referred to as "the shield from Argos", as a result of the bronze shield that was given as a prize to the winners, a prize that had a particular religious significance to the city. Furthermore, inside Larissa, the acropolis of Argos, lay a sacred fortress named Aspida (shield).
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