The conclusions to which I am led by the evidence given in this section may be summed up as follows. By the beginning of the third century A.D. the habit of measuring time in cycles of seven days, each of them dedicated to one of the seven planets, had become universal or at least general in private life throughout the Roman Empire, though it had not received official recognition. Evidence of the practice, though hardly proving a general adoption, can be traced back to at least A.D. 79. Passing over some doubtful testimonies, we find, as already stated, that a century before the last-mentioned date, the idea that the Sabbath was 'Saturn's day' had become current. Before this no trace of it can be found, and speculations as to its origin and antiquity must remain at the best mere speculations.
For a complete understanding of the evidence a preliminary explanation of one point is necessary. This is the order of the planets in the week. Now the normal arrangement of the planets according to their supposed distance from the Earth is as follows:
Moon, Mercury, Venus, Sun, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn.
