Posted on 11/09/2017 6:27:23 AM PST by Red Badger
One Marcus Novius Tubula apparently ordered the sundial to mark his noble appointment as tribune of Rome itself, say archaeologists after finding it in ancient town of Interamna Lirenas
One day around 2,000 years ago, a Roman named Marcus Novius Tubula ordered an elaborate sundial, University of Cambridge researchers report after finding it intact two millennia later during excavation in the Roman town of Interamna Lirenas, near Monte Cassino, in Italy.
Carved in limestone and 54 centimeters in width, the sundial's concave face was engraved with 11 hour lines intersecting three day curves. Thus the device could give indicate the season: the winter solstice, equinox and summer solstice, the archaeologists say. Its gnomon (pointer) was mostly gone, but a bit of it survived under lead fixing.
The sundial is one of less than 100 of its type that have survived, say archaeologists.
Its even rarer inscription, in Latin, tells us about the man who commissioned it, say researchers from the University of Cambridge.
The Tubula sundial, in situ Faculty of Classics, Cambridge University
Conveniently for history buffs, the official had his name and status engraved on the sundial's base. Marcus Novius Tubula noted that he was the son (filius) of another Marcus. His office, the sundial states, was Plebeian Tribune (Tribunus plebis). It even states that he paid for it with his own money.
Given that Tubula went to the trouble to inscribe the sundial with his avowal that he had paid for it, it implies a gift for the benefit of others, Cambridge University archaeologist Alessandro Launaro told Haaretz: Tubula was stating that he hadn't had it made using public resources to which he had access by virtue of his office.
(Excerpt) Read more at haaretz.com ...
Scan reveals fine detaul of Tubula sundial Faculty of Classics, Cambridge University ===========================================================================================
The Latin inscription on Tubula's sundial Faculty of Classics, Cambridge University
PinGGG!....................
Something tells me the budget ran thin when it came time to hire someone to do the inscription.
Probably bought it at The Sundial Outlet store.
It was probably like when you buy a trophy and have it inscribed later with the winner’s name....
Hell, they had sundials during the Stone Age. Some were even miniaturized so they could be worn as watches.
Yes, Solar Powered Watches.
Neanderthals were much smarter than we give them credit for..............
Fred Flintstone had one of them.
Hell, they had sundials during the Stone Age. Some were even miniaturized so they could be worn as watches.
Hell, they had computers during the IT Age. Some were even miniaturized so they could be worn as watches.
“Fred Flintstone had one of them.”
Exactly. I was hoping ETL would join the thread (see post 6).
That’s funny. The first thing I thought when I read the headlines was “I have a gweat fwiend in Wome. . . .”
You have to move it to the right 1 foot in November and the left 1 foot in March
Dexter in November and sinister in March? I thought it was the other way around...................
Facing it!!
What if I’m looking in a mirror?...................
And then you shake it all about.
Thanks! I knew you’d come through!
And later worn as necklaces.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.