Fortuna

Be careful. The 7 day week in Rome and Italy (and I'm sure for the rest of the west) was not instituted until the early 4th cetury. Some say that this was imported from the East by way of Christianity/Judaism, though it was origially babylonian.

Macrobius tells us that prior to that the Romans used Etrusca divisions of the month based on a market day every eight days called "nundinae" (From novem dies). At the same time, they marked specific days of the month(Calends - first of each month, Nones - the fifth or seventh day, Ides = mid month, the 13th or 15th).

However, according to Cassius Dio(History of Rome, 37.18.1) ;

Cassius believes that the 7 day week traces to Egypt, and says that the pre-Christian greeks did not use and did not understand the 7 days week system.
Personally I have my doubts that Cassius got that right and think it more likely that the pre-Alexandrian Egypt must have also got it from Babylon. Is there any other evidence that the pre-Alexadria Egyptians used a 7 day week ?


No,No No..... the REAL average lunar orbit is 27.3 days, It is only from an earth-centric point of view, that is, observing when the moon reaches the same phase, is 29.5 days. Big difference !

From Wiki ;

biblethumping

Isn't the whole book of numbers dedicated to this already?

Cesc

ahdenai, Kabbalah is interesting I think, but only so far as to how it influenced some of the great thinkers such as Paracelsus, Isaac Newton, Spinoza, Schopenhauer, Hegel or Francis Bacon and the Rosicrucians and the role it played in the Middle Ages and alchemy and such. Kabbalah is itself mystical interpretation. Personally, I think its completely ridiculous as seen from a scientific point of view

I know, but I did write the lunar month, not lunar orbit, implying the synodic cycle which the ancients related to


The caduceus is an amazing symbol, as is the serpent itself. Didnt the Persians have a really old myth about the two serpents locked in battle at the beginning of time, one good, one evil? The ancient stories of the two brothers, one good, one evil, fighting one another, has likely many times been a reference to the cycle of the moon. The light and the darkness overcoming each other in turn.

I also see Osiris as having some ancient remnants of lunar characteristics. His reign of 28 years and of course the dark one cutting him up into 14 pieces, like the moon. And then Isis' wandering and assembling the pieces again to resurrect him. Im also told Cronos teared Uranus into 14 pieces in one myth?


Yes, 'part of the vernacular' is a great term here, at least thats how I would tend to see as well. Jonah/Jesus, both in Hell for 3 days - or the 'underworld'.
The moon dissappearing in total darkness for 3 days is likely allegorised originally as dissappearing into the Underworld as I understand, especially considering the various goddess's descents. In particular the Sumerian Descent of Innana, who, iirc, went through 7 stages into the Underworld, where at each stage she was stripped of her fineries, until finally totally undressed after 7 stages. Corresponding to the 7 days of the last half of the waning moon. And when in the Underworld she was hung on a pole for 3 days, then resurrected.

Cesc

Correction: Inana's dead body was hung on a hook when in the Underworld for three days and three nights then resurrected.