Spätrömischer Steckkalender

English translation: Late Roman peg calendar

06:07 Jun 5, 2019
German to English translations [PRO]
History / Roman Empire
German term or phrase: Spätrömischer Steckkalender
Spätrömischer Steckkalender nach einer in Rom gefundenen Steinplatte, 3./4. Jh. n. Chr.
Hinweis zur Benutzung des römischen Kalenders:
Der Steckkalender basiert auf die Beobachtungen der Astronomen der Antike. Er hilft, sich im Alltag zu orientieren und zeitliche Abläufe zu planen. Dabei markieren drei Stecker aus Holz den Tagesstand im römischen Kalender:
In der oberen Reihe seht ihr, mit einem Stecker versehen, die Wochentage, verkörpert von sieben römischen Gottheiten nach den sieben damals bekannten, mit dem bloßen Auge erkennbaren Planeten, links beginnend mit SATURN, SOL, LUNA, MARS , MERKURIUS, JUPITER und VENUS – vielleicht könnt ihr ihre Attribute erkennen? Ein zweiter Stecker markiert an den Rändern jeweils die laufenden Tage des Monats. Die Mitte nimmt ein Kreis ein, der in zwölf Teilen die Tierkreiszeichen im Jahreszyklus zeigt. Hier soll der dritte Stecker die Monate markieren. Dabei sind immer drei Löcher für den Stand des Mondes innerhalb des jeweiligen Monats vorgegeben, um zusätzlich zum Monat noch den Vollmond oder den Neumond mit angeben zu können. Versuche es doch selbst einmal mit dem heutigen Datum!

Would be Late Roman Parapegma the proper Translation? I have seen that others had the same problem with Steckkalender.

Thank you in advance for your help!

Inge
IngePreiss
Germany
Local time: 21:56
English translation:Late Roman peg calendar
Explanation:

I don't think there is a standard or equivalent translation for Spätrömischer Steckkalender and researching for the late Roman parapegma gives no evidence of mentioning gods as described in the reference of Spätrömischer Steckkalender below. Thus, I would suggest to describe and translate it as Late Roman peg calendar, see also discussion.

The Roman calendar was the calendar used by the Roman kingdom and republic
Some of their etymologies are well-established: January and March honor the gods Janus[46] and Mars
The fifth-century writer Macrobius says that the Romans intercalated 22 and 23 days in alternate years (Saturnalia, 1.13.12);
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_calendar

Celtic Calendar using Roman numerals and Gaulish words with peg holes for the tracking of days, was a far more sophisticated time keeping system than that of the Roman conquerors.
https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/216243219586095109/
Selected response from:

Stuart and Aida Nelson
United Kingdom
Local time: 20:56
Grading comment
First I would like to thank you all for your help, which I really appreciate. I have decided to use this term, since the visitors to our museum are families with kids, hikers etc. Therefore I think the term Roman peg calendar would be appropriate here.

Thanks again to you all

Inge
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +2Late Roman Parapegma
Justin Reeve
3 +1Late Roman peg calendar
Stuart and Aida Nelson
Summary of reference entries provided
Spätrömischer Steckkalender
Stuart and Aida Nelson

Discussion entries: 4





  

Answers


2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Late Roman peg calendar


Explanation:

I don't think there is a standard or equivalent translation for Spätrömischer Steckkalender and researching for the late Roman parapegma gives no evidence of mentioning gods as described in the reference of Spätrömischer Steckkalender below. Thus, I would suggest to describe and translate it as Late Roman peg calendar, see also discussion.

The Roman calendar was the calendar used by the Roman kingdom and republic
Some of their etymologies are well-established: January and March honor the gods Janus[46] and Mars
The fifth-century writer Macrobius says that the Romans intercalated 22 and 23 days in alternate years (Saturnalia, 1.13.12);
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_calendar

Celtic Calendar using Roman numerals and Gaulish words with peg holes for the tracking of days, was a far more sophisticated time keeping system than that of the Roman conquerors.
https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/216243219586095109/


Stuart and Aida Nelson
United Kingdom
Local time: 20:56
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
First I would like to thank you all for your help, which I really appreciate. I have decided to use this term, since the visitors to our museum are families with kids, hikers etc. Therefore I think the term Roman peg calendar would be appropriate here.

Thanks again to you all

Inge

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  David Williams
1 day 29 mins
  -> Thank you, David!
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14 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +2
Late Roman Parapegma


Explanation:
The term Late Roman Parapegma would be as close as you're going to get. It's possible to translate the term literally, but most scholars don't. Since it refers to a very specific device, they simply leave it untranslated, but would gloss a description where necessary. In this case, you're describing it right after the first usage of the term, so there's no problem. You'd want to translate Stecker as peg, though. The actual term Steckkalender can however be left in Latin as parapegma.

Justin Reeve
Canada
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 12

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  David Williams
12 hrs

agree  Susan Starling: Parapegma would appear be the term of art here. Tip: try googling Images of both "parapegma" and "peg calendar" and you'll find that the images for "parapegma" mostly resemble the description given, while the "peg calendar" images are all over the place.
19 hrs
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Reference comments


1 hr
Reference: Spätrömischer Steckkalender

Reference information:
In der oberen Reihe sind die Wochentaggötter dargestellt. Die Reihe beginnt rechts mit Saturn.- Warum?

Einerseits war jeder Wochentag einem der sog. sieben Planetengötter heilig. Andererseits gehörten jedem Planetengott auch 3 Stunden an jedem Tag. Derjenige, dem die 1. Stunde des Tages gehörte, gab dem Wochentag seinen Namen. Dabei sind die Abstände der Planeten zur Erde, die man sich im Zentrum der Kosmoskugel vorstellte, entscheidend. Den grössten Abstand zur Erde hat der Planet Saturn, deswegen beginnt die Darstellung auf dem Steckkalender mit dem Samstag, dessen 1. Stunde dem Gott Saturn gehört.
https://www.swisseduc.ch/altphilo/antike/realien/as/gallerie...

Stuart and Aida Nelson
United Kingdom
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 8
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