Tangled year

The last year of the Roman calendar 708 a is used as a confused year (lat. Annus confusionis ) . u. c. before the introduction of the Julian calendar , which according to the backdated Julian calendar and Christian calendar on October 14, 47 BC. Began and on January 1, 45 BC. BC ended. However, this backdating is not common, so that the annus confusionis commonly “the year 46 BC. Chr. "Is called.

background

Two additional leap months

Appian , Cassius Dio and Macrobius report in their writings that Julius Caesar was born in 47 BC. Got to know the switching cycle of the later Julian calendar in Hellenized ancient Egypt in Alexandria . The additional information provided by Macrobius therefore allows Caesar to travel to Egypt to discuss the new form of the Julian calendar with experts on the Egyptian calendar ; according to tradition, it was Sosigenes and Acoreus .

Censorinus mentioned that in addition to the leap month Mercedonius with 23 days , Julius Caesar added two other leap months with 33 and 34 days between November and December in the Roman calendar. This confused year had a total length of 445 days, it thus contained 80 additional days compared to a common year (with 365 days) or 90 additional days compared to the 355-day Roman calendar. Usually the Roman year 708 a. u. c. represents the last year of a four-year period in which the switching rule from the “ third octennium ” might have been applied.

Year 708 auc

The year 708 a. u. c. began as early as October 14 , 47 BC when converted to the Julian calendar system . Chr. And ended on 1 January v 45th Chr. The beginning of the month of Intercalaris Mercedonius fell on the 5th December v 47th The two other leap months (67 days) comprised the period from September 28 to December 3, 46 BC. The beginning of spring fell in 708 a. u. c to 22 Maius in the Roman calendar, which the 24th March 46 V. In the Julian calendar system.

Ianuarius	February	Martius	Aprilis	Maius	Junius	Quintilis	Sextilis	September	October	November	December
"Confused year" (47-45 BC): calendars of the Roman calendar months in the " Julian calendar "
Oct. 14, 47 BC Chr.	Nov. 12, 47 BC Chr.	Jan. 2, 46 BC Chr.	Feb. 2, 46 BC Chr.	March 3, 46 BC Chr.	April 3, 46 BC Chr.	May 2, 46 BC Chr.	June 2, 46 BC Chr.	July 1, 46 BC Chr.	July 30, 46 BC Chr.	30 Aug 46 BC Chr.	Dec. 4, 46 BC Chr.

literature

Friedrich Karl Ginzel : Handbook of mathematical and technical chronology, Vol. 2 - Time calculation of the Jews, the primitive peoples, the Romans and Greeks as well as supplements to the 1st volume . Austrian Literature Online, Innsbruck 2007 (reprint of the original Leipzig edition 1906) ISBN 3-226-00428-X , pp. 274-275.

Individual evidence

↑ The Februararius was broken off after the 23rd day and after the 23-day Mercedonius with continuation of the remaining five days on January 1st, 46 BC. Ended (Julian calendar system).
^ ^A ^b Jean Meeus : Astronomical Algorithms - Applications for Ephemeris Tool 4.5 . Barth, Leipzig 2nd edition 2000, ISBN 3-335-00400-0 , calculations according to Ephemeris Tool 4.5 .

[1] The Februararius was broken off after the 23rd day and after the 23-day Mercedonius with continuation of the remaining five days on January 1st, 46 BC. Ended (Julian calendar system).

[M-2] A ^b Jean Meeus : Astronomical Algorithms - Applications for Ephemeris Tool 4.5 . Barth, Leipzig 2nd edition 2000, ISBN 3-335-00400-0 , calculations according to Ephemeris Tool 4.5 .