Hieromenia (sacred month's time) was the time of the month at which the sacred festivals of the Greeks began, and in consequence of which the whole month received the name ofmenhieros (sacred month). It was a part of the international law of Greece that all hostilities should cease for the time between states who took part in these festivals, so that the inhabitants of the different states might go and return in safety. The Hieromeniae of the four great national festivals were the most important: they were proclaimed by heralds (spondophoroi ortheoroi), who visited the different states of Greece for the purpose. The suspension of hostilities was calledEkecheiria (Truce).

In 420 BC, theSpartans were excluded from the Olympics, after they had failed to pay a fine imposed on them, when they invadedLepreum inElis. Spartans protested in vain that the hieromenia and ekecheiria had not been declared by heralds on them.(Thuc.5.49-55)^[1]

• Pilgrims and pilgrimage in ancient Greece By Matthew Dillon Page 3ISBN 0-415-12775-0 (1997)

(Pindar. Isthm. ii. 23;Strabo. viii. p. 343; Krause, Olympia, p. 40, &c.) This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Smith, William, ed. (1870).Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities. London: John Murray.{{cite encyclopedia}}:Missing or empty|title= (help)

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