2023/12/05

Romme’s calendar

There were historically two French Republican calendars:

  1. Gilbert Romme's original calendar, which was the only one legally recognized, began each year on the day of the autumn equinox, causing leap years to occur haphazardly, according to Romme’s method. 
  2. The reformed calendar, which never reached the National Convention, began each year according to fixed mathematical rules proposed by Jean Baptiste Delambre, with leap years occurring on a regular schedule, similar to the Gregorian calendar. The reason that the reformed calendar did not reach the Convention was that on that same day, Romme was sentenced to the guillotine and committed suicide. 
I say that these are two, different calendars, rather than the same calendar, because the Julian and Gregorian calendars are considered as separate, and the difference between the former and its reform is much the same as for the French calendars, that being in the determination of leap years, and on which day each year starts. 
The issue I have is that I consistently see the second calendar referred to as “Romme’s calendar,” or rules, or method, etc. But this makes little sense, because Gilbert Romme was the primary mover behind the first calendar, and the reform was actually proposed to Romme by Delambre. Plus, the original calendar has historically been called Romme’s calendar, or the Romme calendar. (See Carlyle)
I will refer to the second calendar as the reformed calendar, which uses Delambre’s rules, not Romme’s, but Romme was the father of both calendars, not just the second one. 
I would note that he was not the only victim of the Terror on the calendar committee. D’Eglantine, who named all the days and months, went to the guillotine, and the founder of modern chemistry, Lavoisier, died in prison. 

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