Cotyttia originated with the Edones as a celebration of the rape of Persephone.[2][3] Throughout Thrace it was celebrated secretly in the hills at night,[4][5][6][7] and was notorious for its obscenity and insobriety.[3]
Through influence of trade and commerce, the Edonian form of the festival spread to Athens, Corinth, and Chios,[1][2][7] where its mark became so pronounced that "companion of Cotytto" became synonymous with "slut".[6]
In Sicily the rites of Cotyttia were much more mundane, celebrating the waxing aspect of Persephone.[2][3]