The first sundial in Rome

In Rome in the third century B.C. they installed the first sundial that was in that place and remained there without time changes or trifles, indicating bad time for a century.

The sundial in question had been captured in the city of Catania, Sicily, as part of the spoils of war after a battle of the First Punic War. One of the essential parameters for a sundial work is the location of it, of course. Well, were not foolish enough to ignore this but do not mind at all Romans, installed the sundial yet. The more than four degrees of difference in latitude between Catania and Roma, 37,31ºN to 41,53ºN, made the sundial was almost more an ornament than a sundial.

In any case, as I said, they left him in Rome nearly a century, ninety-nine years to be exact, marking bad time. As I said a comedy by Plautus, also from classical Rome: Confuse the gods who invented the hours and made this city a sundial cutting off the day well-ordered pieces.

When I was a kid the only watch I had was my stomach, much better and more reliable than any of those. I always warned eating, except when there was nothing to take to the mouth.

Source: Curistoria