The Ancient Greek Calendar: Culture, Politics, and Sacrifice

📅 What can a calendar reveal about the people who made it?

Today, calendars shape everything from school schedules to religious life. But in ancient Greece, a single type of calendar—the festival or sacrificial calendar—helped organize not just time, but the religious, economic, and political rhythms of an entire community.

In this lecture, Yesenia Brambila, PhD candidate in Classics at UC Berkeley, explores how these calendars functioned as more than simple tools for tracking days. Drawing on historical evidence, she examines moments in ancient Greek history where shifts in power, culture, and belief were reflected—and even negotiated—through changes in the calendar itself.

By looking closely at how time was structured, this talk reveals how calendars became a space for communities to make sense of change—and to shape the world around them.✨

🕰 Event Details

​​​What should I expect?

​7:00-7:35 --> arrival & chats

​​​​7:35-8:20 --> lecture

​​​​8:20-9:00 --> q&a and more chatting

​​​Who's invited?

​​​Anyone with an interest in learning new things, meeting new people, and doing fun things on weeknights! Lots of people came solo to our last event, so don't be afraid to do the same—you’ll meet some awesome people!

​​​What about parking?

​​​There's no parking on-site, so we recommend street parking or using public transportation.

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​​No :) This venue is open to all ages. If you'd like to purchase alcohol, you must be 21+ and present a valid ID.

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​Photos and short video clips may be taken for promotional purposes. By attending, you consent to being photographed or recorded. We do not do full recordings of lectures at this time.

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​​The lecture is sold out! Can I join a waitlist?

​​Unfortunately, Luma does NOT support waitlists for paid events yet. We recommend checking back on the event site the day before / the day of the event! Attendees are likely to drop out.

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​You can refund your ticket up to 24 hours before the event starts. Since this is a limited-space event, we encourage you to update your RSVP if you can’t make it—this helps us keep spots open for others. NOTE - you do NOT need to email us for a refund, we will issue one within 48 hours upon changing your RSVP to "Not Going" :)

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​By attending, you agree to treat speakers, staff, venue employees, and fellow attendees with respect and to follow all venue rules and staff instructions.

​Harassment, disruptive behavior, or excessive intoxication will not be tolerated. For the safety and comfort of everyone, Big Brain and the venue reserve the right to refuse entry or remove any attendee at any time, without refund, if behavior is deemed unsafe, disruptive, or disrespectful.

​🍸 Alcohol & Safety

​Depending on the venue, alcohol may be sold and served exclusively by the venue in accordance with California law. Big Brain is not responsible or liable for alcohol service, overconsumption, or any actions resulting from intoxication. By attending, you voluntarily assume all risks associated with a public indoor event and agree that you are solely responsible for your own conduct, safety, and transportation before, during, and after the event.

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