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Page 238
Another possibility has not been explored properly. Sosigenes was Greek, but he lived in Alexandria and was conversant with Egyptian calendars and astronomy. He would have been familiar, therefore, with the Sothic cycle. By this reckoning, the year is almost exactly 365.25 years in length. Sosigenes may have intended a Sothic cycle calendar.
9.1.3.6.2
What Was the Object of Confusion?
The second question that arises about the Julian calendar is concerned with the one-time correction of 46 B.C. The Julian reform was actually remarkably conservative. The lengths of the four long months were left intact. The intercalary day was
(continued)
Table 9.2
DayQuintilisSextilisSeptember
1KalendisKalendisKalendis
2ante diem VI Nonasante diem IV Nonasante diem IV Nonas
3ante diem V Nonasante diem III Nonasante diem III Nonas
4ante diem IV Nonasante diem Pridie Nonasante diem Pridie Nonas
5ante diem III NonasNonisNonis
6Pridie Nonasante diem VIII Idusante diem VIII Idus
7Nonisante diem VII Idusante diem VII Idus
8ante diem VIII Idusante diem VI Idusante diem VI Idus
9ante diem VII Idusante diem V Idusante diem V Idus
10ante diem VI Idusante diem IV Idusante diem IV Idus
11ante diem V Idusante diem III Idusante diem III Idus
12ante diem IV IdusPridie IdusPridie Idus
13ante diem III IdusIdibusIdibus
14Pridie Idusante diem XVIII Kalendasante diem XIX Kalendas
15Idibusante diem XVII Kalendasante diem XVIII Kalendas
16ante diem XVII Kalendasante diem XVI Kalendasante diem XVII Kalendas
17ante diem XVI Kalendasante diem XV Kalendasante diem XVI Kalendas
18ante diem XV Kalendasante diem XIV Kalendasante diem XV Kalendas
19ante diem XIV Kalendasante diem XIII Kalendasante diem XIV Kalendas
20ante diem XIII Kalendasante diem XII Kalendasante diem XIII Kalendas
21ante diem XII Kalendasante diem XI Kalendasante diem XII Kalendas
22ante diem XI Kalendasante diem X Kalendasante diem XI Kalendas
23ante diem X Kalendasante diem IX Kalendasante diem X Kalendas
24ante diem IX Kalendasante diem VIII Kalendasante diem IX Kalendas
25ante diem VIII Kalendasante diem VII Kalendasante diem VIII Kalendas
26ante diem VII Kalendasante diem VI Kalendasante diem VII Kalendas
27ante diem VI Kalendasante diem V Kalendasante diem VI Kalendas
28ante diem V Kalendasante diem IV Kalendasante diem V Kalendas
29ante diem IV Kalendasante diem III Kalendasante diem IV Kalendas
30ante diem III Kalendaspridie Kalendasante diem III Kalendas
31pridie Kalendaspridie Kalendas

 
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