Babylonian hours
Babylonian hours (occasionally also Greek hours ) are equinox hours , which are counted from 1 to 24 ( Great Clock ) from sunrise . In contrast, the Italian hours start with sunset.
When and why the expression Babylonian hours came about is not known, but it is believed to be the oldest way of counting the hours . The term is misleading as this timescale is believed not to have been in use at any time in Babylonia . The Babylonians counted until the end of Babylonian Empire (539 v. Chr.) With the äqualen unit time " Danna " ( "double period"), which already in the Gilgamesh occurs. In Hellenistic times , the temporal hours were first introduced in the area of ancient Babylonia . By halving the “double hour”, the number of day and night hours was increased from six to twelve. The equinox hours, which represent 24 periods of equal length regardless of the length of day and night and can be counted from 1 to 24, followed even later.
The Babylonian hours are still shown on some sundials today , with the higher numbers for the night of course not being used.
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Cf. Otto Neugebauer: A history of ancient mathematical astronomy , Springer, Berlin 1975, p. 362.