The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1905-12-13
YEAR OF CONFUSION
IT WAS THE Longest ON RECORD
AND HAD FIFTEEN MONTHS.

A6 ID. G. strRiBhtened Out the CaIen-
dar MuddIe-Early Attempt to Adj
just the Lunar Cycles.
The longest year in the worlds histo-
ny was a year that contained fifteen
months. The original cause that led
up to this was an early attempt to adj
just the lunar months which began
with each new moon in their relation to
the solar year. Twelve revolutions Of
the moon take 854 days, about eleven
days less han n true year. The III
clients tried at first to correct this by
inserting, generally every other year,
n special intercalary month, just as we
do an additional day in leap year. In
the Roman calendar, from which u
own has descended, these corrections
were always made at the end Of the
year. The earliest Roman year began
in March, as we see by the numerical
Latin names Of several of our months
September (~seyen), october eight, No
rember (nine), December (ten-and we
still add our intercalary day in leap
year just before the ancient New Years
day.
LII tiLhO thC hiSltho atOPPCu hSAh iu-
mar character and became of irregular
length, varying from thirty-one days in
March to twenty-eight in February.
The year had 855 days, some ten days
less than a true year. Later on the LIST
of January became both the New Year
and the Inauguration day of the Ro-
man eonsuls. These chief magistrates
Of the Roman republic, unlike our pres
idents, were elected annually, SO that
inauguration day then was more impor-
tant than 1t is at Washington, since 1t
was actually the beginning Of a new
official or civil year each LIST OF Janu-
airy. The intercalary month was, how
ever, still inserted between February
and March, according to ancient Gus
tom. The insertion Of intercalary
months and all matters pertaining to
the calendar rested in ancient Rome
with the college Of pontiffs, which
formed the supreme priestly council,
the proper observance OF the festivals
Of the gods and other sacred days COM
ing especially within the domain of re-
ligion. But the pontfs, with their
chief, the pontifex maXimus, were too
often dominated by political considera-
lions. In early times they were chosen
exclusively from the patriciap families.
Their privilege of inserting or emitting
the intercalary month gave them great
political power, which, p~olitician-like,
they used to the advantage Of their
own party and the injury of the plebe-
tans. On personal grounds they capri
ciously heightened the yea when their
friends held the chief magistracy and
shortened it when the opposition held
Office.
This practice at length involved the
calendar in such confusion that In Clce-
ro's day it was three months ahead Of
true time. Thus the list of May fell In
bleak wintry weather at what was
properly about the LIST of February,
while the LIST of January came in the
fall season at what is now the begin
ming Of October. The ancient Romans
had to endure the irony of dating their
letters in November when they were
trying to bear up under the blazing
heat Of an Italian summer.
But in the year b. G.. 4G Rome's fore
most soldier, Julius Caesar, was able
to tax the matter in hand. Among
the many honors received by this con
queror was the office of pontifeX max
linus, and as head OF the priestly col
lege matters appertaining to h calen-
dar fell within his province. His sol
dier's system took up the middle in
the calendar, which he Strengthened
out with his accustomed vigor. To
imagine n modern parallel we should
nave to suppose some II like Napo-
leon on his elevation of the consulShip
or General Grant fresh from the civil
war and bis election to the presidency
undertaking to correct a confusion In
the calendar due to the manipulations
of politicians.
Caesar called in the aid of Sosigcnes,
an AleXandrian astronomer, to rectify
the error and prevent 1t for the future.
1t was in the year of Rome 70S-46
b.. c., according to u reckoning-that
the revision took place. 1t is said, al
though this point is not quite certain,
that Caesar intended to fix the LIST OF
January in the following year TOO (B.
G. 49, on the winter solstice, the short
est day in the year. This arrangement
would have been as nearly perfect as
possible, far superior to that which we
observe, in which New Year falls some
ten days after the ~solstice and has no
reference to anything of n natural
character. If Caesar had taken the
shortest day for the 1st of January
he would have had n definitely fixed
landmark indicated by the movement
of the earth itself as prominently
the correct point of time for this event,
for the sun sinks daily and the days
become shorter until Dec. 81 or
~, when, as If new born, the sun be-
gins again to mount the heavens and
the days to lengthen. The Roman
name for this time was "Natalis soils
invicti' (the birthday Of the uncon-
quered SUM, when that ~luminary's
decline was changed into a fresh as
cension.
1t is one of the greatest misfortunes
OF the calendar that this change was
not carried out. But the story goes
that about ten days later han the sol
stioe there WAS a new moon, which
was the starting point Of the ancient
lunar months. 1t was still looked upon
as a good augury for a month to be-
gin on the new moon, and as 1t was
desired that the year 700, tho opening
year of Caesars new calendar, should
be inaugurated under circumstances
that would be suspicious and com
mend the change to public approval
II was determined that the following