Boeotian calendar

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The Boeotian calendar is a Greek calendar that was in use in the Central Greek countryside of Boeotia .

The oldest evidence of the Boeotian calendar dates from the 3rd century BC. At that time, the Boeotian Federation had consolidated itself to such an extent that the various Boeotian Poleis used a common calendar, which is therefore also called the “Boeotian Federal Calendar”. In ancient Greece it was common for each independent polis to use its own calendar based on the local festival year. This mainly concerned the naming of the months, the beginning of the year and the rules for switching on a leap month . Since before the 3rd century BC There are no sources available, the assumption of various originally local calendars remains speculative. The merging of different calendars in the course of a developing common cult practice or the adoption of the Theban city ​​calendar throughout Boeotia are considered likely .

Of the twelve names of the months, four are only attested in the Boeotian calendar (Pamboiotios, Prostaterios, Theiluthios and Alalkomenios), the others can also be found in calendars in other Greek landscapes. In particular, there are similarities with calendars from Thessaly . This applies above all to the Achaia Phthiotis , the southern part of Thessaly, in which, apart from the Boukatios, all the other names of the months are attested. There are also strong similarities in the calendars of Malis . Possible explanations are a previously existing cultural unit of Thessaly, the Achaia Phthiotis and Boeotia, which had a common stock of festivals and in the same month names were formed, or a culturally formative migration from the direction of Thessaly to Boeotia.

Month names

The first month of Boukatios corresponds roughly to the Attic Poseideon , in the Julian calendar December / January.

  1. Bukatios ( Βουκάτιος )
  2. Hermaios ( Ἑρμαῖος )
  3. Prostaterios ( Προστατήριος )
  4. Agrionios ( Ἀγριώνιος )
  5. Thyios ( Θυῖος )
  6. Homoloios ( Ὁμολώιος )
  7. Theiluthios ( Θειλούθιος )
  8. Hippodromios ( Ἱπποδρόμιος )
  9. Panama ( Πάναμος )
  10. Pamboiotios ( Παμβοιώτιος )
  11. Damatrios ( Δαμάτριος )
  12. Alalkomenios ( Ἀλαλκομένιος )

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