Author Description
Why do we measure time in the way that we do? Why is a week seven days long? At what point did minutes and seconds come into being? Why are some calendars lunar and some solar?The organization of time into hours, days, months, and years seems immutable and universal, but is actually far more artificial than most people realize. For example, the French Revolution resulted in a restructuring of the French calendar, and the Soviet Union experimented with five and then six-day weeks.Leofranc Holford-Strevens brings us this fascinating study of time using a range of examples from Ancient Rome and Julius Caesar's imposition of the Leap Year to the 1920's project for a fixed Easter. Those interested in time, history, and the development of the calendar will enjoy this absorbing exploration of an aspect of our lives that we all take for granted.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This book investigates the historical origins and cultural evolution of the systems humans use to measure and organize time. Leofranc Holford-Strevens, a scholar of classical history, examines the development of calendars, weeks, and timekeeping units through a multidisciplinary lens. He argues that our current temporal frameworks are not universal constants but rather artificial constructs shaped by political, religious, and social forces throughout history.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Analysis of the transition from lunar to solar calendar systems.
- Historical case studies including the Roman Julian calendar and the French Revolutionary calendar.
- Examination of the social and political motivations behind calendar reform, such as the Soviet five-day week.
Scope Limits
- The text does not provide a technical manual for modern atomic clock synchronization or quantum time measurement.
- It focuses primarily on Western and Mediterranean historical developments rather than an exhaustive global survey of all indigenous timekeeping traditions.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Experts recognize this work as a concise and scholarly introduction to the history of chronometry. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which provides a rigorous overview suitable for those interested in the intersection of history and social organization.
Page Count:
144
Publication Date:
2005-01-01
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0192804995
ISBN-13:
9780192804990
History
Science
Non-Fiction
Chronology
Reference
Time