 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Gerarai" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(April 2021) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Gerarai (Ancient Greek:Γεραραί), also known by thelatinized formGerarae, were priestesses (Hiereiai) ofDionysus inancient Greek religion.
They presided over sacrifices and participated in the festivals ofTheoinia andIobaccheia that took place during the month ofAnthesteria, among other duties. Fourteen in all, they were either sworn in by the Athenianbasilinna or her husband, thearchon basileus. One of their primary duties during the Anthesteria was to assist in performing thesacred marriage rites of the queen to Dionysus, and thus held to secrecy. According to a folk etymology, they were calledGerarai, from the Greek word γηράσκω,gerasko, "I grow old". Older women were chosen for the role.