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One of these bears the title 'Why are the days named after the planets reckoned in a different order from the actual order?' By an unlucky chance only the title of this particular dialogue has survived, but this title shews the subject unmistakably. Still more important are some facts revealed by the discoveries at Pompeii[1]. It is hardly necessary to point out that testimony from Pompeii has the merit that one limit of its date is fixed beyond dispute. It may be much earlier than the destruction of the city in A.D. 79 but it cannot be later. The clearest item is a wall-inscription in Greek headed 'Days of the Gods' followed by a list of the Seven in week-order beginning with Saturn and ending with Venus. Another wall-inscription (this time in Latin) has no heading and Mercury's name is omitted[2], but the remaining six are in week-order, while two others mention the 'Sun's day' and the 'Moon's day.'[3] There is also a fresco in which appear figures clearly representing the seven deities in week-order.
From this point the evidence becomes somewhat uncertain. One passage, which is often pressed into service, comes from the fragmentary Satyricon of Petronius, which may be dated
