The Attic Calendar was in use in Athens and its surrounding territories during its most productive period as far as classical literature is concerned (5th & 4th centuries B.C.E.).
Hellenic Pagans and Attic Calendar
Although there were several other calendars in use at the time, and at different times throughout history, this one has the most documentation as it was used to run the internal affairs of the city. It is also the one many modern Hellenic Pagans choose to base their liturgical calendar on.
The Attic Festival calendar was a lunar-solar calendar. Each month began upon the first sighting of the new moon and the first new moon after the summer solstice began the new year.
The calendar had 12 months and a 13th intercalary month had to be added every few years or so to keep the months in line with the seasons.
This month was, at different times, put between different months throughout the calendar and was given the same name as the month that preceded it. That is, every few years, some months would happen twice. It seems that Poseidon most often had the honor, but it’s unclear
While each month within the calendar held its own festivals, certain sabbath days were observed each month.
- Day 1 noumenia
- Day 2 Agathos Daimon
- Day 3 Birthday of Athene
- Day 4 in honor of Heracles, Hermes, Aphrodite, and Eros
- Day 6 Artemis’s birthday
- Day 7 Apollo
- Day 8 in honor of Poseidon and Theseus
The following is the generally accepted order of the months:
Summer
- Hekatombaion
- Metageitnion
- Boedromion
Autumn
- Pyanepsion
- Maimakterion
- Poseideon
Winter
- Gamelion
- Anthesterion
- Elaphebolion
Spring
- Mounichion
- Thargelion
- Skirophorion
More information online
The Hellenion Liturgical Calendar at Hellenion.org