Friday, December 19, 2008

Greek Holidays

(Picture of Demeter)

Months (Approximate Translations): January - Gamelion, February - Anthesterion, March - Elaphebolion, April - Mounichion, May - Thargelion, June - Skirophorion, July - Hekatombaion (The first month of their year), August - Metageitnion, September - Boedromion, October - Pyanopsion, November - Maimakterion, December - Poseideon

Festivals and the months they are in.

  • Panhellenic Festivals
    • Olympic Games
    • Pythian Games
    • Isthmian Games
    • Nemean Games
  • Athenian and Attic Festivals
    • Hekatombaion
      • 12 - Kronia
      • 16 - Synoikia
      • 28 - Panathenea
    • Metageitnion
      • 15,16,17,18 - Eleusina
    • Boedromion
      • 5 - Genesia
      • 12 - Democratia
      • 17 or 18 - Epidauria
    • Pyanopsion
      • 6 - Proerosia
      • 7 - Pyanopsia
      • 8 - Theseia
      • 8 - Oschophoria
      • 9 - Stenia
      • 11,12,13 - Thesmophoria
      • 19,20,21 or 26,27,28 - Apaturia
      • 30 - Apaturia
    • Maimakterion
      • ? - Pompaia
    • Poseideon
      • 26 - Haloa
    • Gamelion
      • 12,13,14,15 - Lenea
      • 27 - Theogamia
    • Anthesterion
      • 11,12,13 - Anthesteria
      • 23 - Diasia
    • Elaphebolion
      • 10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17 - Great Dionysia
      • 17 - Pandia
    • Mounichion
      • 16 - Munichia
      • 19 - Olympeia
    • Thargelion
      • 7 - Thargelia
      • 19 - Bendideia
      • 24 - Callynteria
      • 25 - Plynteria
    • Skirophorion
      • 3 - Arrephoria
      • 12 - Scira
      • 14 - Bouphonia
Haloa, which was celebrated December (Poseidon) 26, is an ancient greek festival held in attic during the month Poseidon in the honor of Demeter. In Athens and other parts of ancient Greece, there is a month that corresponds to roughly December/January that is named Poseideon for the sea-god Poseidon. At Athens there was a festival named Posidea after the god. Since Poseidon is a sea god it is curious that his festival would be held during the time the Greeks were least likely to set sail. I do not know why the month is named Poseidon, and I doubt anyone else does either.
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3 comments:

Kate Manoso said...

You have a lot of excellent information on here.

February 21, 2009 at 9:02 PM
wvgreekgeek said...

Very interesting blog. Sorry, the polls were down when I found your blog. My least favorite god is Zeus...

http://www.morgansmythology.blogspot.com

January 20, 2011 at 6:43 PM
Unknown said...

Hi, just a thought to your note about Poseidon's holiday for Demeter:
December is the last month in our Western calendar, but our calendar ends and begins in the winter. The last month of the year in the Greek calendar ends the winter and the first one is in Spring (Starting with the sun in the Aries constellation at the spring equinox). So the holiday would have been nearing the beginning of Spring, which would make sense because Demeter was the goddess of corn and agriculture and during the winter her daughter Persephone had to go to the underworld. The spring coming signified she had returned and Demeter was no longer in mourning and would then again produce crops.

April 12, 2020 at 7:11 PM

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