Roman timekeeping
In Roman timekeeping, a day was divided into periods according to the available technology. Initially, the day was divided into two parts: the ante meridiem (before noon) and the post meridiem (after noon). With the advent of the sundial circa 263 BC, the period of the natural day from sunrise to sunset was divided into twelve hours.[1]
Variation
An hour was defined as one twelfth of the
The Romans understood that as well as varying by season, the length of daytime depended on latitude.
Subdivision of the day and night
Civil day
The civil day (dies civilis) ran from midnight (media nox) to midnight.[3] The date of birth of children was given as this period.[4]
It was divided into the following parts:
- Media nox (midnight)
- Mediae noctis inclinatio (the middle of the night)
- Gallicinium (cock crowing)
- Conticinium (cock stops crowing)
- Diluculum (dawn)
- Mane (morning)
- Antemeridianum tempus (forenoon)
- Meridies (mid-day)
- Tempus pomeridianum (afternoon)
- Solis occasus (sunset)
- Vespera (evening)
- Crepusculum (twilight)
- Prima fax (lighting of candles)
- Concubia nox (bed-time)
- Intempesta nox (far into the night)
- Inclinatio ad mediam noctem (approaching midnight)[3]
Natural day
The natural day (dies naturalis) ran from sunrise to sunset.[4]
The hours were numbered from one to twelve as hora prima, hora secunda, hora tertia, etc. To indicate that it is a day or night hour, Romans used expressions such as for example prima diei hora (first hour of the day), and prima noctis hora (first hour of the night).[5]
Timekeeping devices
The Romans used various ancient timekeeping devices. Sundials were set up in public places,[2] beginning after one was imported from Sicily in 263 BC.[6] Sundials were used to calibrate water clocks.[7] The disadvantage of sundials, or shadow clocks, was that they worked only in sunshine and had to be recalibrated depending on the latitude and season.[8]
Legacy
- The Roman day starting at dawn survives today in the Spanish word siesta, literally the sixth hour of the day (sexta hora).[9]
- The daytime noneoccur during the first (prīma) = 6 am, third (tertia) = 9 am, sixth (sexta) = 12 pm, and ninth (nōna) = 3 pm, hours of the day.
- The English term
- The terms a.m. and p.m. are still used in the 12-hour clock, as opposed to the 24-hour clock.
See also
References
- ^ ISBN 978-0-313-33174-9. Retrieved 24 December 2019.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-134-76899-8. Retrieved 24 December 2019.
- ^ a b Adam, Alexander (1791). Roman antiquities: or an account of the manners and customs of the Romans, respecting their government, magistracy, laws ... designed chiefly to illustrate the Latin classics. Edinburgh: William Creech. pp. 307–308. Retrieved 24 December 2019.
- ^ a b CENSORINUS (238). "DE DIE NATALI". elfinspell.com. Retrieved 25 December 2019.
- ISBN 978-0-86516-622-6. Retrieved 24 December 2019.
- ^ "Timekeeping in the Ancient Mediterranean and Near East". The MD Harris Institute. 29 September 2013. Retrieved 24 December 2019.
- ^ Grattan, Kenneth. "A brief history of telling time". The Conversation. Retrieved 24 December 2019.
- ^ "Ancient Everyday – Telling Time in the Roman World". Eagles and Dragons Publishing. 1 July 2017. Retrieved 24 December 2019.
- ^ "Definition of SEXT". www.merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 25 December 2019.
- ^ "What Time Is 'Noon'?". www.merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 25 December 2019.
- ^ "noon". www.etymonline.com. Retrieved 25 December 2019.
External links
- Media related to Ancient Roman time keeping at Wikimedia Commons