S. 5. The Ancient Roman year confifted of ten of the year Months only, and thefe neither Lunar nor Solar ones, inftituted but regulated at the Pleasure of the first Founder. by Romu March was the firft, of 31 days; April the fecond, of lus. 30 days the third was May, of 31 days, the fourth June, of 30 days, Quinctilis was the fifth, of 31 days, Sextilis, the fixth, of 30 days; the feventh was September, of 30 days; the eighth, October of 31 days; November the ninth, of 30 days; and December the tenth, of 31 days: The whole year confilting of 304 days. Feneftella, Licinius, and Scaliger,are of Opinion,that from the time of Romulus the year was divided into twelve Months:But there are fo many of the most ancient Authors who confirm by their Authority our Affertion, that it would be fuperfluous Roman i How long Rome flou rifhed. perfluous to quote them here; we will only take no- Tempora digereret cum conditor urbis in anno And confidering that the Genius of Romulus appeared §. 6. The City of Rome has at feveral times felt the direful Effects of many dangerous Revolutions, but especially when Alaric, after a long Siege, being at laft become Master of it, ruined it with Fire and Sword, in the year of Rome, 1162, upon which occafion the Goths exercifed fuch unheard of Cruelties against the Inhabitants, as if they intended (as Johannes Mariana Lib. 4. de reb. Hilp. expreffes it) to revenge upon them all the Injuries the World had received in former Ages from the Hands of their Ancestors. CHA P. XVIII. Of the NABONASSAREAN EPOCHA. RULES. 1.This Epocha is founded upon too many Characters to be inferted here:We will therefore only take notice of two forts. Among the first are to be accounted many Eclipfes related by Ptolomey. To the fecond Clafs belongs belongs Cenforinus's collating of this Epocha, with 2. From thefe Characters it appears that this Epocha . 19.). 15. on the 26th day of February, the fourth Feria, in the Afternoon. But, because there is fome Difference betwixt the years of this Epocha and the Julian years (the Nabonaflarean years confifting exactly of 365 days) the Connexion, of these two cannot conveniently be treated of in this place. §. 1.THO Hiftorians have frequently made ufe The first of this Epocha, yet they are filent both as Foundati to the Author and the Occafion of its Origin. Thus on of this much is certain that its Beginning was fixed to fome Epocha. remarkable Revolution or fome great Victory. The Opinion of Dion, Petav, feems not very improbable; to wit, that the Babylonians rebelling against the Medes, chofe for their King one Nabonaffar, whofe Succeffors afterwards fubdued both the Medes and Perfians. 5. 2. Concerning the Name and Author of this E-of its pocha there is no fmall Difpute among the Interpreters, Founder. Its Origin is without question Chaldean, for NABO fignifies an Idol in the Chaldaan Tongue, as appears from Ifai. 46. 1. from whence Nebuchodonofor, Nebuzaradin, Nabonid, and feveral Chaldean Names are derived. It is alfo beyond all queftion that Nabonaffar was King of Babylon; but what Funccius, Mercator, and others have affirmed of him, as to his being the fame with Salmanaffar, or (as others will have it) with Sardanapalus, is contrary to Truth. S. 3. As the Difpofition of the Nabonaffarean years The Useful owes its Origin to the Egyptians, fo many of the An-ness of this cient Hiftorians, but efpecially Ptolemy, make fre. Epocha and quent ufe of this Epocha in their Computations; fo the Succef that there is fcarce any one Epocha which is likely to fors of Nabe of more ufe to thofe that are curious in Chronology, bonatlar than this, especially confidering that an Authentick Catalogue of the Kings of feveral Countries has been publifhed out of a Greek Manufcript of Ptolemy,where in Book IV. in you may fee the true Connexion of the years of the Reigns of thefe Kings with the years of the Nabonaf farean Epocha. And this Catalogue being look'd upon as one of the moft Authentick Pieces in Chronolo gy, unto which we shall have occasion to have Recourfe at feveral times hereafter, I judged it not improper to infert here without any alteration,fuch an excellent Monument of Antiquity. |