NUNDĬNAE is derived by all the ancient writers from _novem_ and
_dies_, so that it literally signifies the ninth day. Every eighth
day, according to our mode of speaking, was a nundinae, and there
were thus always seven ordinary days between two nundinae. The Romans
in their peculiar mode of reckoning added these two nundinae to the
seven ordinary days, and consequently said that the nundinae recurred
every ninth day, and called them _nundinae_, as it were _novemdinae_.
The number of nundinae in the ancient year of ten months was 38.
They were originally market-days for the country folk, on which they
came to Rome to sell the produce of their labour, and on which the
king settled the legal disputes among them. When, therefore, we read
that the nundinae were feriae, or dies nefasti, and that no comitia
were allowed to be held, we have to understand this of the populus
or patricians, and not of the plebes; and while for the populus
the nundinae were feriae, they were real days of business (_dies
fasti_ or _comitiales_) for the plebeians, who on these occasions
pleaded their causes with members of their own order, and held their
public meetings (the ancient comitia of the plebeians). Afterwards
the nundinae became fasti for both orders, and this innovation
facilitated the attendance of the plebeians at the comitia
centuriata. The subjects to be laid before the comitia, whether they
were proposals for new laws, or the appointment of officers, were
announced to the people three nundinae beforehand (_trinundino die
proponere_). Instead of _nundinae_ the form _nundinum_ is sometimes
used, but only when it is preceded by a numeral, as in _trinundinum_,
or _trinum nundinum_.