DIASIE. – An ancient Athenian popular festival celebrated on 23 Anthesterion (March) in honor of Zeus Melichios.
The victims offered were completely burned, as for the chthonic deities; the crowd offered animal-shaped cakes. Officially, the D. had a solemn character, but there were cheerful private banquets, and gifts were given to children, perhaps because it was thought that, once the sacrifices had been performed, the god’s benevolence was assured. There was a literary contest, with ears of grain as prizes.
BIBL.: A. Pitti, s. V. in Enc. Ital., XII (1931), p. 748; L. Deubner, Attische Feste, Berlin–Leipzig 1932, p. 115 and following.