Abstract
Summary: The dating of the Great Festival at Alexandria described by Callixeinus (in Athenaeus) is controversial: the most widely accepted dates are the winters of 279/78, 275/74 or 271/70 BC. To the arguments for a date in the mid-270s BC should be added Athenaeus' mention (5.196 f) of a pavilion decorated with „silver“ and „golden“ thyreoi, i. e. oblong shields apparently of Celtic origin. This type of shield was not known in the Hellenistic East before the invasion of Celts into Asia Minor in 278 BC. Their appearance in the decoration of the pavilion may be connected to the destruction of the rebellious Celtic mercenaries of Ptolemy II Philadelphus on an island in the Nile Delta ca. 275 BC. This event was topical in royal propaganda of Philadelphus (in poetry, coinage, etc.). If the depiction of thyreoi alludes to this event 275/74 BC appears to be the most likely date for the Great Festival.
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