Sunday, November 20, 2005

Roman Calendar

We lately had a reference question about the Ides of November. Just in case it comes up again, here is what we found out:
       Originally, before various calendar reforms, the Ides was the day of the full Moon in a given month. (As the Calends was the first or New Moon day, and the Nones the first quarter moon day.) Later, it was tied to specific dates: the Ides is the 15th day of March, May, July, October; the 13th day of January, February, April, June, August, September, November, December. The doom that the phrase "the Ides of March" connotes entered into our vocabulary due to Shakespeare, before that it just meant the 15th of March.
       There's lots more about the Roman calendar at Wikipedia. The links at the bottom of that article lead you further. Or try the Roman Calendar article at webexhibits.com.

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