Festivals provided the Greeks an opportunity to express their common identity as citizens, tribesmen, and women. Festivals also reinforced their sense of tradition. At the lower end were the deme festivals (for poorer people) and at the higher end were the civic festivals (for middle class and rich). During the Hellenistic period kings founded festivals at their capitals with the object of impressing their subjects as well as their rivals. In Athens alone about 60 days were devoted only to festival and games. In a festival the most important feature was a, blood sacrifice preformed on an altar in front of the deity's shrine Festivals in honor of the dead formed a major feature of the calendar. Their were festivals in honor of the Greeks and the Dead.