Epicurus' Birthday 2023 - (The Most Comprehensive Picture Yet!)

    In preparation for the annual "controversy" of when to celebrate Epicurus's Birthday:I

    - 'm going with 7 Gamelion as the day.

    - I'm using this as my authoritative source for the Athenian calendar: http://www.numachi.com/~ccount/hmepa/calendars/700.html

    - Therefore, I'll be celebrating from sunset on Jan. 28 to sunset on Jan. 29, 2023.

    - Check out the homepage of the site:

    HMEPA: Hellenic Month Established Per Athens temporary

    Especially the "About the Calendar" page.


    PS: As of Jan 2023, I'm adding in this link to the final version of my paper where I've compiled all the findings in this thread in one place. Enjoy!

    I am of the understanding that Epicurus’ birthday was January 11-12th 341 BCE. Per Diogenes Laërtius, Epicurus was born “in the third year of the 109th Olympiad […] on the seventh day of the month of Gamelion”. The third year of the 109th Olympiad began on July 11-12th of 342 BCE. The seventh day of the month of Gamelion is 184 days after the beginning of the third year of the 109th Olympiad; so, 184 days from July 11-12th is January 11-12th.



    That still begs the question of should we celebrate Epicurus birthdate...


    1. On the anniversary of his birthdate (per Diogenes) – Gamelion 7 – January 11/12th?


    2. On its customary celebration (per his Last Will) – Gamelion 10 – January 14/15th?


    3. On the modern Eikas-aligned birthday custom – January 20?


    4. On the ancient Eikas-aligned birthday custom – Gamelion 20 – January 24/25th?


    I submit that Epicurus was born on January 11-12th, and that we were recommended by Epicurus to continue a customary celebration of his birth on January 14-15th. Though, it seems that later followers may have merged the celebration with Eikas, in which case, January 24-25th (ancient) or January 20th (modern) might be appropriate.


    My vote is January 14-15th per Epicurus pointing to Gamelion 10 in his will.

    btw

    Here's the thread from earlier this year with Nate 's and Joshua 's excellent detective research on the Date:

    Post
    RE: Epicurus' Birthdate
    I note that Diogenes documents both dates (the 7th and the 10th) within one page of each other, the first one being a citation to Apollodorus, and the second being a citation of Epicurus' Last Will: “He was born, according to Apollodorus in his Chronicles, in the third year of the 109th Olympiad, during the archonship of Sosigenes, on the seventh day of the month of Gamelion, seven years after the death of Plato" (498). And then, one page later, "[T]he customary celebration of my birthday each…
    Nate

    Facebook post -


    Time to start our annual quest to answer the eternal question: "What's the correct date to celebrate Epicurus's upcoming birthday this time? I have seen two suggestions so far for 2023:


    (1) from sunset on Jan. 28 to sunset on Jan. 29, 2023 based on Gamelion 7 (which possibly comes from Gassendi).


    (2) January 14-15 per Epicurus pointing to Gamelion 10 in his will.


    We have started a thread to discuss this issue at the link below (linked to this thread), where the reasoning behind these two is explained. I know we have readers in this group from Greece who are all over this issue, so if anyone reading this has a suggestion to support one of these, or another calculation, please let us know!


    LOL! Here we go! ^^

    Here also is Gassendi's chapter on the birth of Epicurus (Thanks, Cassius !)

    Gassendi’s Epicurus – Part 1 – Life of Epicurus – NewEpicurean


    I like the idea of Epicurus being born on 7 Gamelion due to its association with Apollo Epicurus.


    In his will, Epicurus's words convey that somehow the "first tenth" of Gamelion was chosen to customarily celebrate his birthday: τὴν εἰθισμένην ἄγεσθαι γενέθλιον ἡμέραν

    εἰθισμένην = "accustomed"

    τῇ προτέρᾳ δεκάτῃ τοῦ Γαμηλιῶνος (tēi proterai dekatēi tou Gamēliōnos) "for the first tenth of Gamelion"

    BUT (and I can't vouch for the authority here but Joshua pointed this out, too)

    Calendars Old and New
    The 1e DMG has a stern admonition on tracking time "YOU CAN NOT HAVE A MEANINGFUL CAMPAIGN IF STRICT TIME RECORDS ARE NOT KEPT."   Emphasis ...
    alesmiter.blogspot.com

    Quote

    The first day was the New Moon - Noumenia. Then the first two phases were numbered consecutively from 2nd rising to 10th rising, then 11th to 19th. On the twentieth, the day was called the first tenth. The twenty first was named the last tenth and the numbers decreased from the 9th waning to the last day of the month - Old and New.

    But does that mean that Epicurus's Birthday was celebrated *within* the first ten days of the month of Gamelion (ie, actually on the 7th) or it was on the "first tenth" or is the 20th of the month called "the first tenth" like that website says???

    LSJ gives an interesting definition (one of them) that δέκατος can mean "festival on the tenth day after birth, when the child has a name given it, τὴν δ. θύειν to give a naming-day feast"

    Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, δέκα^τος


    It definitely appears to me that his actual birthday did not occur on τῇ προτέρᾳ δεκάτῃ τοῦ Γαμηλιῶνος but that it was only celebrated that day by custom. Why else use εἰθισμένην?

    Well, unless, his birthday - which did it occur that day?? - was celebrated over the years and it was customary now to throw a party for him *on* his birthday. But that εἰθισμένην gives me pause. BUT Epicurus says in his will to go ahead and keep celebrations going on τῇ προτέρᾳ δεκάτῃ τοῦ Γαμηλιῶνος as we've become accustomed to doing. Maybe I am inclining to celebrate it τῇ προτέρᾳ δεκάτῃ τοῦ Γαμηλιῶνος. Hmmm....

    Though I cannot remember the source just now, I read recently that the two days set aside for celebrating Epicurus (his birthday and the 20th) were regarded by his detractors as emblematic of his gluttony. Metrodorus was only given one day, the twentieth, which he shared with Epicurus. :rolleyes:

    I take as correct, the last desire of the Last Will of Epicurus in which he says that his birthday was on the 10th Gamelion. Why the 10th of Gamelion? Maybe, in Epicurus era, there was a big celebration to honor all hellenic gods. And 10th of Gamelion was a favourable date of the year for a boy to be born.

    In the profile below, there is a post from the last year, in this post we read:

    "Today (12 January), Hemera Hermou [Day of Hermes - Wednesday], beginning at sundown, will be the tenth day of the lunar month of Gamelion.

    “The tenth is favourable for a male to be born; but, for a girl, the four of the mid-month.” – excerpt from Hesiod, Works and Days

    The number ten is associated by the Pythagoreans to the Kosmos, as such today is a good day to honour All the Gods, especially the Gods of the celestial beings and Zeus, King of All".


    Below is the profile at FB as they're counting the days of the months according to Ancient Hellenic Counting.

    Log in or sign up to view
    See posts, photos and more on Facebook.
    www.facebook.com

    Beauty and virtue and such are worthy of honor, if they bring pleasure; but if not then bid them farewell!

    Thanks 2

    OMG! Okay, I went and looked at the Wikipedia article that I think is the one Joshua looked at and saw (emphasis added - LOOK at the 20th!!):

    Quote

    To summarise the days with special names.

    • The first day: noumenia, or new moon.
    • The last day: henē kai nea, the "old and the new".
    • The 21st day: "the later tenth". The Attic month had three days named "tenth" (equivalent in a straight sequence to the 10th, 20th, and 21st days). These were distinguished as
      • 10th: "the tenth (of the month) waxing"
      • 20th: "the earlier tenth" (i.e. waning)
      • 21st: "the later tenth" (i.e. waning)

    This strange juxtapositioning of the two days called the tenth, the earlier and the later, further highlighted the shift into the moon's waning phase.

    SO τῇ προτέρᾳ δεκάτῃ τοῦ Γαμηλιῶνος is NOT "the tenth of Gamelion". It's "the 'earlier tenth' of Gamelion" meaning the 20th!! He's saying right there in his will that his birthday was *customarily* celebrated on the προτέρᾳ δεκάτῃ "the earlier tenth" - the 20th! - of Gamelion! There aren't three dates! There are only two:

    1. Epicurus's actual birthday of 7 Gamelion, sacred to Apollo Epicurus
    2. the *customary* celebration of his birthday during the regular 20th celebration during the month of his birth.

    Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, πρότερος


    It was right there all the time and it all lines up!

    So we could include a celebration of Epicurus's Birthday on the 20th of Gamelion which is Feb 10/11, 2023, or decide *by custom* to celebrate it either at the 20 January or 20 February since the 20th in his will was also *by custom.* The Jan 20 or Feb 20 would definitely be in the spirit of his will.


    So, his will then says to me that his birthday was celebrated only on the "first tenth" or 20th of Gamelion, but the school met every 20th to commemorate both Epicurus and Metrodorus.


    Okay, I think I've planted my flag on this hill. :)

    In Athens, there is the symposium every year on the 20th -- so I vote for February 20th.

    12th Panhellenic Symposium of Epicurean Philosophy, February 19-20, 2022 Athens, Greece

    Organized by Friends of Epicurean Philosophy Garden of Athens, Garden of Thessaloniki and Municipality of Pallini Under the Auspices of the Region of Attica

    Panhellenic Symposium of Epicurean Philosophy

    The Symposium is a tribute to our master Epicurus. The Symposium is organized, with free entrance, every year in February by the Friends of Epicurean Philosophy, because Epicurus was born in that month, and always in Pallini, because that particular municipality of modern Athens metropolitan area includes the ancient Athenian demos of Gargettus, from which Epicurus originated.

    Friends of Epicurean Philosophy - Symposium

    That's an excellent find, Don that I think definitely explains the discrepancy.


    One thing I note is that the months of the ancient Greek Calendar had rotating numbers of days, so any fixed "x of Gamelion" date will always translate as a different date on the Julian calendar depending on your starting point. Since, as Don just demonstrated, Epicurus was, in fact, attesting to the Eikas-aligned celebration of his birthday on "the [earlier] tenth" it would be appropriate to celebrate it in correspondence with our own Eikas-day celebrations.


    At the same time, we could approach this holiday as a "moving feast" like the Christian celebration Easter which can fall anywhere from March 22 and April 25 depending on the year and the movements of the moon. Celebrating Epicurus' birthday on the "proper", "moving" date could be a fun, educational exercise we can celebrate every year.



    Based on the Calendar Don provided (above), I believe we are in the 2nd year of the 700th Olympiad, which started on June 29-30th 2022. Today, November 24th 2022 corresponds with the 148th day of the ancient Greek year, meaning "today" is the final day of Maimakterion. This year also seems to have a second month of Poseideon before Gamelion, so the "early 10th of Gamelion" (or Gamelion 20) falls 227 days after June 29-30th is February 11-12th 2023.



    Last ancient Greek year (the 1st year of the 700th Olympiad; pictured above), the first month of Hekatombaion began on July 10-11th 2021, and the “early 10th of Gamelion” (or Gamelion 20) fell 197 days after July 10-11th. So, according to my calculations, last ancient Greek "year", Epicurus’ Birthday Eikas would have fallen on January 23, 2022.



    In next corresponding ancient Greek year (the 3rd year of the 700th Olympiad; seen above), the first month of Hekatombaion begins on July 18-19th 2023, and the “early 10th of Gamelion” (or Gamelion 20) will fall 198 days after July 18-19th. So, next ancient Greek calendar year, Epicurus’ Birthday Eikas will fall on February 1-2nd, 2024.


    So based on my calculations:


    Epicurus’ Birthday Eikas 2022: January 23-24th

    Epicurus’ Birthday Eikas 2023: February 10-11th

    Epicurus’ Birthday Eikas 2024: February 1-2nd


    I think it is therefore appropriate to celebrate it on one of two days:


    1. January 20th, aligned with the modern celebration of the Twentiers

    2. A "moving feast" like Easter, which will start Epicurus' Birthday Eikas (as I count) on February 10-11th 2023.


    I am partial to celebrating the "moving feast". It provides an opportunity for modern Epicureans to gain a better understanding of the Attic calendar that organized Epicurus' days. It also reinforces our relative feeling of their holidays. There is a slightly different feel between contemporary cultures that start their "week" on Monday instead of Sunday. There is a different feel to "beginning" a year in Summer instead of mid-Winter. This helps us look at time from the perspective of Epicurus and friends. It also provides an opportunity to focus on Epicurus.


    Or we could just do the 20th to make it easy. Easter's moving date always was kind of weird growing up.

    Quote from Nate

    That's an excellent find, Don that I think definitely explains the discrepancy.

    Thanks, Nate . That means a lot coming from you!


    I wanted to share a couple words that struck me in that section of the Will too. The translation runs:

    for the meeting of all my School held every month on the twentieth day to commemorate Metrodorus and myself according to the rules now in force.

    This sounds so sterile to me, so I looked at the text. There we can find:

    ὥσπερ καὶ εἰς τὴν γινομένην σύνοδον ἑκάστου μηνὸς ταῖς εἰκάσι τῶν συμφιλοσοφούντων ἡμῖν εἰς τὴν ἡμῶν τε καὶ Μητροδώρου <μνήμην> κατατεταγμένην.


    συμφιλοσοφούντων ἡμῖν (symphilosophountōn hēmin) something literally like "our (not my) fellow "lovers of wisdom"/philosophers" That seems warmer than "school"


    σύνοδον (synodon) from sym "with" (as in "sympathy", same sym- as above) + hodos "path, way" This is the word "synod" we know from Christianity. This is the "meeting" in the translation, but I like the connotation of "coming together with others on the path/way."


    Those two words for me provide much more color to Epicurus's last will than the usual dry translation.

    IMO for the word "σύνοδος" the appropriate word in english is "session" i.e. a period devoted to a particular activity.

    Also, "σύνοδος" in new greek means: a period devoted to a collective institution. For the english word "institution" in greek is "θεσμός" that means: "a habit with great importance for an individual or small or large group".


    So, IMO the appropriate translation in english could be: For the session of all my School held every month on the twentieth day to commemorate Metrodorus and myself according to the rules now in force.



    Beauty and virtue and such are worthy of honor, if they bring pleasure; but if not then bid them farewell!

    Like 2 Thanks 1
    Quote from elli

    IMO for the word "σύνοδος" the appropriate word in english is "session" i.e. a period devoted to a particular activity.

    "Session" could work for the reasons you pointed out.

    I would prefer a word that gets at the "bringing together" implied by the syn- in synodos. Something like "meeting" or "assembly." "Synod" is too imbued with Christian connotation.

    Here's the Etymology Online entry for the word synod:

    late 14c., "ecclesiastical council," from Late Latin synodus, from Greek synodos "assembly, meeting; a coming together, conjunction of planets," from syn- "together" (see syn-) + hodos "a traveling, journeying; a manner or system (of doing, speaking, etc.); a way, road, path," a word of uncertain origin (see Exodus). Earlier in English as sinoth (early 12c.). Used by Presbyterians for "assembly of ministers and other elders" from 1593 to c. 1920, when replaced by General Council.

    Quote from Kalosyni

    Panhellenic Symposium of Epicurean Philosophy

    The Symposium is a tribute to our master Epicurus. The Symposium is organized, with free entrance, every year in February by the Friends of Epicurean Philosophy, because Epicurus was born in that month, and always in Pallini, because that particular municipality of modern Athens metropolitan area includes the ancient Athenian demos of Gargettus, from which Epicurus originated.

    It would be interesting to know how they determined the birthday of Epicurus.


    Also, is it possible in Greece that they have a belief that birthdays should not be observed earlier than the true date of birth? ( Martin mentioned that is the case in either Thailand or in Germany.

    I believe these calculations are accurate, if I've understood everything presented so far (which I definitely may not have, but the attempt at making a chart at least revealed some interesting patterns about the Attic calendar).


    For one thing, I found that I was born on the 23rd day of final month of Skirophorion, Day 377 in the 3rd year of the 691st Olympiad. For another, I found that, while my Julian birthdate fell within the final month of Skirophorion, it often falls in the following Attic month of Hekatombaion, the first month of the ancient Greek year.


    The same seems to be the case with Eikas, which falls from mid-January to mid-February.


    A sincere curiosity I found is the following: of those years where my Julian birthdate (July 8th) begins the ancient Greek year (Hekatombaion 1), it turns out that Gamelion 20 corresponds with January 20th (or within one day of it).


    Those Gamelion 20s that correspond with our January 20ths were marked red below to denote their coincidence.


    Based on the shifting patterns of the Attic calendar, the 20th of Gamelion can come as early as Day 196 and as late as Day 228. Specifically, it falls on either Day 196, 197, 198, 199, or Day 226, 227, 228, depending on the year. (The years on the Attic calendar have varying lengths, some containing 355 days, some containing more than 380).


    There is a cycle that occurs every 19 years where a set of dates nearly restarts. For example (from the bottom, below), Gamelion 20 in 2065 falls on the same Julian date as Gamelion 20 in 2046.

    Gamelion 20 in 2064 falls on the same Julian date as Gamelion 20 in 2045.

    Gamelion 20 in 2063 falls one day earlier than Gamelion 20 in 2044.

    Gamelion 20 in 2062 falls on the same Julian date as Gamelion 20 in 2043.

    Gamelion 20 in 2061 falls on the same Julian date as Gamelion 20 in 2042.

    Gamelion 20 in 2060 falls one day earlier than Gamelion 20 in 2041.

    Gamelion 20 in 2059 falls on the same Julian date as Gamelion 20 in 2040.

    Gamelion 20 in 2058 falls on the same Julian date as Gamelion 20 in 2039.

    Gamelion 20 in 2057 falls on the same Julian date as Gamelion 20 in 2038.

    Gamelion 20 next year (2023) falls on the same date as Gamelion 20 in 2004; and so on ... every 19 solar years.


    The earliest 20th of Gamelion on the Julian calendar JANUARY 14-15th (approx.)

    The latest 20th of Gamelion on the Julian calendar: FEBRUARY 17-18th (approx.)


    I'm sure there are other patterns to be found as well. Regardless, I think I have come to the conclusion that I will look to January 20th to both celebrate the monthly practice of Eikas as well the annual Birthday of Epicurus.


    My calculations may not be completely accurate (I did 80 years of my lifespan and then quit proof-reading).


    OLYMPIADYEARJulian Date of HEKATOMBAION 1
    (Day 1 on the Attic Calendar)    		DAY #
    (of Gamelion 20)
    		Julian Date of GAMELION 20
    (Epicurus' ceremonial Birthday)
    1093JULY 11-12th 342 BCE
    		197JANUARY 23-24th 341 BCE
    ...............
    1172JUNE 28-29th 311 BCE228FEBRUARY 10-11th 310 BCE

    		3JULY 17-18th 310 BCE198JANUARY 30-31st 309 BCE
    4JULY 6-7th 309 BCE227FEBRUARY 17-18th 308 BCE
    1181JULY 25-26th 308 BCE197FEBRUARY 6-7th 307 BCE
    2JULY 14-15th 307 BCE197JANUARY 26-27th 306 BCE
    3JULY 3-4th 306 BCE227FEBRUARY 14-15th 305 BCE
    ...............
    1272JULY 6-7th 271 BCE227FEBRUARY 17-18th 270 BCE
    3JULY 25-26th 270 BCE197FEBRUARY 6-7th 269 BCE
    ...............
    6911JULY 18-19th 1985197JANUARY 30-31st 1986
    2JULY 7-8th 1986197JANUARY 19-20th 1987
    3JUNE 27-28th 1987226FEBRUARY 7-8th 1988
    4JULY 14-15th 1988198JANUARY 27-28th 1989
    6921JULY 3-4th 1989199JANUARY 17-18th 1990
    2JUNE 23-24th 1990227FEBRUARY 4-5th 1991
    3JULY 12-13th 1991197JANUARY 24-25th 1992
    4JULY 1-2nd 1992226FEBRUARY 11-12th 1993
    6931JULY 20-21st 1993196JANUARY 31-1st 1994
    2JULY 9-10th 1994197JANUARY 21-2nd 1995
    3JUNE 28-29th 1995227FEBRUARY 9-10th 1996
    4JULY 16-17th 1996197JANUARY 28-29th 1997
    6941JULY 5-6th 1997198JANUARY 18-19th 1998
    2JUNE 24-25th 1998228FEBRUARY 6-7th 1999
    3JULY 13-14th 1999198JANUARY 26-27th 2000
    4JULY 2-3rd 2000197JANUARY 14-15th 2001
    6951JUNE 22-23rd 2001227FEBRUARY 3-4th 2002
    2JULY 11-12th 2002196JANUARY 22-23th 2003
    3JUNE 30-1st 2003226FEBRUARY 10-11th 2004
    4JULY 18-19th 2004197JANUARY 30-31st 2005
    6961JULY 7-8th 2005197JANUARY 19-20th 2006
    2JUNE 26-27th 2006227FEBRUARY 7-8th 2007
    3JULY 15-16th 2007198JANUARY 28-29th 2008
    4JULY 3-4th 2008198JANUARY 16-17th 2009
    6971JUNE 23-24th 2009227FEBRUARY 4-5th 2010
    2JULY 12-13th 2010197JANUARY 24-25th 2011
    3JULY 2-3rd 2011226FEBRUARY 12-13th 2012
    4JULY 19-20th 2012197JANUARY 31-1st 2013
    6981JULY 9-10th 2013197JANUARY 21-22rd 2014
    2JUNE 28-29th 2014227FEBRUARY 9-10th 2015
    3JULY 16-17th 2015198JANUARY 29-30th 2016
    4JULY 5-6th 2016198JANUARY 18-19th 2017
    6991JULY 24-25th 2017228FEBRUARY 6-9th 2018
    2JULY 13-14th 2018198JANUARY 26-27th 2019
    3JULY 3-4th 2019197JANUARY 15-16th 2020
    4JUNE 22-23rd 2020226FEBRUARY 2-3rd 2021
    7001JULY 10-11th 2021197JANUARY 22-23rd 2022
    HERE2JUNE 29-30th 2022227FEBRUARY 10-11th 2023
    3JULY 18-19th 2023198JANUARY 31-1st 2024
    4JULY 6-7th 2024198JANUARY 19-20th 2025
    7011JUNE 26-27th 2025227FEBRUARY 7-8th 2026
    2JULY 15-16th 2026197JANUARY 27-28th 2027
    3JULY 4-5th 2027197JANUARY 16-17th 2028
    4JUNE 23-24th 2028226FEBRUARY 3-4th 2029
    7021JULY 12-13th 2029196JANUARY 23-24th 2030
    2JULY 1-2nd 2030226FEBRUARY 11-12th 2031
    3JULY 20-21st 2031197FEBRUARY 1-2nd 2032
    4JULY 8-9th 2032198JANUARY 21-22nd 2033
    7031JUNE 27-28th 2033228FEBRUARY 9-10th 2034
    2JULY 16-17th 2034198JANUARY 29-30th 2035
    3JULY 6-7th 2035197JANUARY 18-19th 2036
    4JUNE 24-25th 2036227 FEBRUARY 5-6th 2037
    7041JULY 13-14th 2037197JANUARY 25-26th 2038
    2JULY 3-4th 2028196JANUARY 14-15th 2039
    3JUNE 22-23rd 2039226FEBRUARY 2-3rd 2040
    4JULY 10-11th 2040197JANUARY 22-23th 2041
    7051JUNE 29-30th 2041227FEBRUARY 10-11th 2042
    2JULY 17-18th 2042198JANUARY 30-31st 2043
    3JULY 7-8th 2043198JANUARY 20-21st 2044
    4JUNE 26-27th 2044227FEBRUARY 7-8th 2045
    7061JULY 15-16-2045197JANUARY 27-28th 2046
    2JULY 4-5th 2046197JANUARY 16-17th 2047
    3JUNE 24-25th 2047226FEBRUARY 4-5th 2048
    4JULY 11-12th 2048197JANUARY 23-24th 2049
    7071JULY 1-2nd 2049226FEBRUARY 11-12th 2050
    2JULY 19-20th 2050198FEBRUARY 1-2nd 2051
    3JULY 8-9th 2051198JANUARY 21-22nd 2052
    4JUNE 27-28th 2052227FEBRUARY 8-9th 2053
    7081JULY 16-17th 2053197JANUARY 28-29th 2054
    2JULY 6-7th 2054196JANUARY 17-18th 2055
    3JUNE 25-26th 2055226FEBRUARY 5-6th 2056
    4JULY 13-14th 2056197JANUARY 25-26th 2057
    7091JULY 2-3rd 2057197JANUARY 14-15th 2058
    2JUNE 21-22nd 2058227FEBRUARY 2-3rd 2059
    3JULY 10-11th 2059198JANUARY 23-24th 2060
    4JUNE 28-29th 2060228FEBRUARY 10-11th 2061
    7101JULY 17-18th 2061198JANUARY 30-31st 2062
    2JULY 7-8th 2062197JANUARY 19-20th 2063
    3JUNE 27-28th 2063226FEBRUARY 7-8th 2064
    4JULY 15-16th 2064196JANUARY 26-27th 2065
    7111JULY 4-5th 2065197JANUARY 16-17th 2066
    2JUNE 23-24th 2066227FEBRUARY 4-5th 2067
    3JULY 12-13th 2067197JANUARY 24-25th 2068
    4JUNE 30-1st 2068227FEBRUARY 11-12th 2069
    7121JULY 19-20th 2069198FEBRUARY 1-2nd 2070
    2JULY 8-9th 2070198JANUARY 21-22nd 2071
    3JUNE 28-29th 2071227FEBRUARY 9-10th 2072
    4JULY 16-17th 2072197JANUARY 28-29th 2073
    7131JULY 6-7th 2073196JANUARY 17-18th 2074
    2JUNE 25-26th 2074226FEBRUARY 5-6th 2075
    3JULY 14-15th 2075197JANUARY 26-27th 2076
    4JULY 2-3rd 2076197JANUARY 14-15th 2077
    7141JUNE 21-22nd 2077227FEBRUARY 2-3th 2078
    2JULY 10-11th 2078198JANUARY 23-24th 2079
    3JUNE 29-30th 2079227FEBRUARY 10-11th 2080
    4JULY 17-18th 2080197JANUARY 29-30th 2081
    7151JULY 7-8th 2081197JANUARY 19-20th 2082
    2JUNE 26-27th 2082227FEBRUARY 7-8th 2083
    3JULY 15-16th 2083197JANUARY 27-28th 2084
    4JULY 3-4th 2084198JANUARY 16-17th 2085


    Based on Don's original source: http://www.numachi.com/~ccount/hmepa/

    This was my resource to determine the date of Eikas: https://www.timeanddate.com/da…d&ay=&am=&aw=&ad=197&rec=


    These measurements correspond with the following scholarship:


    “He was born on the twentieth of the month of Gamelion (24 January 341)74 […] 74The debate over the exact date of his birth was definitively resolved by Alpers 1968.” (Algra, The Cambridge History of Hellenistic Philosophy 43)


    “Date of the birth of Epicurus, according to Apollodorus […] that is, under the seventh archon from the archon of the year of the death of Plato, Theophilus. The tenth of Gamelion however, January 14, and the twentieth, January 24, are also assigned as the dates of birth.” (Origines Kalendariæ Hellenicæ; or, the history of the primitive calendar among the Greeks, before and after the legislation of Solon, Volume 2, 97; 1862)

    That is VERY impressive, Nate ! I certainly can't argue with any of your calculations, and, with that, I would concur that Jan. 20 seems to be a preferable *customary* date to celebrate Epicurus's birthday as set out in his Will.


    From the articles below, it seems the Athenian calendar was much more fluid than we are accustomed to.


    Some of that is laid out in this paper:

    The Athenian Calendar
    The Author provides a thorough introduction to the five (5) most commonly used calendars in Ancient Athens through the Roman Period. This paper presents an…
    www.academia.edu


    And this:

    Calendars of Athens again - Persée