Roman Sundial

Antonio
History of the Sundial
• Time was originally measured using natural events such as sunrise
and sunset

• The most basic version of the sundial was invented by the Egyptians
around 1500 BC

• These were called shadow clocks, and time was measured using the
length of the shadow they cast

• This method of time-telling was used for hundreds of years

History of the Sundial
• Romans and Greeks adopted the concept from the Egyptians

• Both cultures developed their own form of the Sundial

• Greeks invented a hemi-spherical design

• Romans used a flat circular design we know today

• Romans also invented the portable sundial

• The Romans made the sundial out of concrete, marble, or

metals such as gold
The Roman Sundial
• Sundials were used throughout Rome

• They were very accurate, many down to the half hour

• They were used as centerpieces in public squares, where people

would come to socialize

• The dial became a status symbol

• Rich Romans put sundials in their gardens and courtyards

• As time progressed, the sundial became more common

Monuments in Rome
• Rome houses at least two monuments that may have been used as
sundials

• The Horologium Augusti (Horologium of Augustus) is a 22-meter-

high sundial

• It cast a shadow over an area of 525x246 ft. on pavement with marks

for each hour

• The monument was moved from its original place

Monuments in Rome
• The Pantheon is a temple that was built to honor all Roman gods

• It boasts the largest unsupported dome in the world

• The beam of light that passes through the oculus follows a path that
mimics that of a sundial’s shadow

• The structure is 2,000 years old, but experts are still debating the
multiple purposes of the temple
Websites for Pictures
• http://www.haddonstone.com/en/prod/roman-sundial

• http://www.1worldglobes.com/DiscSundials/roman-sundial.htm

• http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/history/HistTopics/Sundials.html

• https://www.pinterest.com/pin/283656476501589156/

• https://www.studyblue.com/notes/note/n/clar-250-final-3/deck/913791