apostolicfathers0201clem - Carmel Apologetics

DATE OF THE MARTYRDOM. 679
lengihs of the months, with one slight exception', and differ only in
the names. They are not however correctly described by Ideler or by
writers generally
before or after him. Their true character was first
pointed out by Usener (^Bullet. delP Instit. di Corrisp. Archeol. 187^],
p. 73 sq). They are a strict reproduction of the Julian calendar, even
to the retention of a month of 28 days (Dystrus) corresponding to
February, but with these exceptions, (i) The Epheso- Asiatic months
commence eight days before the corresponding Julian months. Thus
Dius, corresponding to October, commences Sept. 23 ; Xanthicus, corresponding
to March, commences February
2 1 ;
and so with the others.
(2) The year commences, not in midwinter, but about the time of the
autumnal equinox. (3) The months bear different names. In the
'
Ephesian calendar the Macedonian names are retained throughout ;
'
whereas the ' Asiatic ' nomenclature seems to be founded on an old
Ionian calendar (e.g. Apaturius, Poseidaon, Lenseus, etc.), but several of
the months have been renamed after persons or events (e.g. Tiberius,
Stratonicus, etc).
The following table exhibits the Ephesian and Asiatic calendars.
Ephesian