Roman Antiquities, and Ancient Mythology / For Classical Schools (2nd ed) - Charles K. Dillaway

The day was either civil or natural; the civil day was from midnight to midnight; the natural day was from the rising to the setting of the sun.

The use of clocks and watches was unknown to the Romans—nor was it till four hundred and forty-seven years after the building of the city, that the sun dial was introduced: about a century later, they first measured time by a water machine, which served by night, as well as by day.

Their days were distinguished by the names of festi, profesti, and intercisi. The festi were dedicated to religious worship, the profesti were allotted to ordinary business, the days which served partly for one and partly for the other were called intercisi, or half holy days.

The manner of reckoning by weeks was not introduced until late in the second century of the christian era: it was borrowed from the Egyptians, and the days were named after the planets: thus, Sunday from the Sun, Monday from the Moon, Tuesday from Mars, Wednesday from Mercury, Thursday from Jupiter, Friday from Venus, Saturday from Saturn.

Days of Month.	Apr, June, Sept, Nov.	Jan, August, December.	March, May, July, Oct.	February.
1	Kalendæ.	Kalendæ.	Kalendæ.	Kalendæ.
2	IV. Nonas.	IV. Nonas	VI.	IV. Nonas.
3	III.	III.	V.	III.
4	Pridie.	Pridie.	IV.	Pridie.
5	Nonæ.	Nonæ.	III.	Nonæ.
6	VIII. Idus.	VIII. Idus.	Pridie.	VIII. Idus.
7	VII.	VII.	Nonæ.	VII.
8	VI.	VI.	VIII. Idus.	VI.
9	V.	V.	VII.	V.
10	IV.	IV.	VI.	IV.
11	III.	III.	V.	III.
12	Pridie.	Pridie.	IV.	Pridie.
13	Idus.	Idus.	III.	Idus.
14	XVIII. Kal.	XIX. Kal.	Pridie.	XVI. Kal.
15	XVII.	XVIII.	Idus.	XV.
16	XVI.	XVII.	XVII. Kal.	XIV.
17	XV.	XVI.	XVI.	XIII.
18	XIV.	XV.	XV.	XII.
19	XIII.	XIV.	XIV.	XI.
20	XII.	XIII.	XIII.	X.
21	XI.	XII.	XII.	IX.
22	X.	XI.	XI.	VIII.
23	IX.	X.	X.	VII.
24	VIII.	IX.	IX.	VI.
25	VII.	VIII.	VIII.	V.
26	VI.	VII.	VII.	IV.
27	V.	VI.	VI.	III.
28	IV.	V.	V.	Prid. Kal.
29	III.	IV.	IV.	Martii.
30	Prid. Kal.	III.	III.
31	Mens. seq.	Prid. Kal. Mens. seq.	Prid. Kal. Mens. seq.

CHAPTER XV.

Roman Games.

The Roman Games formed a part of religious worship, and were always consecrated to some god: they were either stated or vowed by generals in war, or celebrated on extraordinary occasions; the most celebrated were those of the circus.