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From: John Cowan <cowan@ccil.org>
Subject: Re: seven-day week
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dski@cameonet.cameo.com.tw wrote:

> Colleen McCullough's historical novels about ancient Rome's republican
> era mention a "market cycle" of (I think) nine days. That's the closest
> thing to a division smaller than a month that I can recall. The books go
> into much detail about daily life, and seem extremely well researched.

The cycle is the "nundinae" (= nine days, literally), but that is
counting at both ends!  It's eight days, as we count, from market-day
to market-day.

Similarly, the day before the Kalends, Nones, or Ides is just that,
but the preceding day is called "*3* days before the
{Kalends|Nones|Ides}",
counting both ends.

-- 
John Cowan						cowan@ccil.org
			e'osai ko sarji la lojban
