What does the term "kalendae" signify?

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The term "kalendae" specifically refers to the first days of the months in the Roman calendar. This was a significant date because it was when the new moon was observed, marking the beginning of the month. In ancient Rome, the calendar was structured with the kalendae, nonae (the fifth or seventh day depending on the month), and idus (the ides) serving as key points around which the rest of the month was organized.

Understanding the importance of "kalendae" helps to place it in the broader context of Roman timekeeping practices, which were deeply intertwined with various religious and agricultural events. The notion of the first day of the month also relates closely to financial transactions, debts, and other obligations that were often settled at the start of a new month.

The other terms relate to different concepts: "meeting," which does not correlate with the calendrical system; "wicked," which is a moral descriptor; and "block," which has no connection to the measurement or management of time or the calendar. Hence, "kalendae" unequivocally points to the first day of the month.

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