Lex Acilia de intercalando
Encyclopedia
Lex Acilia de intercalando (The Acilian Law Concerning Intercalation) was a law established in ancient Rome
in 191 BC
.
Introduced by the consul M. Acilius, this law probably authorized the pontifices to decree an intercalary period
in order to prevent seasonal drift in the pre-Julian lunar calendar. While the historian Fulvius
claims that this law was the first instance of intercalation in Roman history, the historian Varro
cites instances as early as the 5th century BC. It is also alleged that the decemviri
were the first to intercalate, a practice they may have learned from the Etruscans.
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
in 191 BC
191 BC
Year 191 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Nasica and Glabrio...
.
Introduced by the consul M. Acilius, this law probably authorized the pontifices to decree an intercalary period
Intercalation
Intercalation is the insertion of a leap day, week or month into some calendar years to make the calendar follow the seasons or moon phases. Lunisolar calendars may require intercalations of both days and months.- Solar calendars :...
in order to prevent seasonal drift in the pre-Julian lunar calendar. While the historian Fulvius
Fulvius
Fulvius was the nomen of the gens Fulvia, a patrician gens of ancient Rome that originally came from Tusculum. They were originally a plebeian family but were upgraded to patricians soon after the Roman Republic was formed...
claims that this law was the first instance of intercalation in Roman history, the historian Varro
Varro
Varro was a Roman cognomen carried by:*Marcus Terentius Varro, sometimes known as Varro Reatinus, the scholar*Publius Terentius Varro or Varro Atacinus, the poet*Gaius Terentius Varro, the consul defeated at the battle of Cannae...
cites instances as early as the 5th century BC. It is also alleged that the decemviri
Decemviri
Decemviri is a Latin term meaning "Ten Men" which designates any such commission in the Roman Republic...
were the first to intercalate, a practice they may have learned from the Etruscans.