EMBOLISMALI. — Thus the Greeks called the months to which intercalary days were added to align the lunar cycle with the solar cycle (at Athens, the month of Poseidon). By imitation, the Romans applied this name to the month of February and to the intercalary day (bisestus). In chronological calculations for Easter, it was called the thirteenth lunar month, which was added every three years to the twelve to achieve concordance with the solar year (v. EPATTA).
Bibl.: A. Giry, Manuel de diplomatique, Paris 1894, pp. 14 sq.; H. Grotefend, Abriss der Chronologie des deutschen Mittelalters und der Neuzeit, 2nd ed., Leipzig-Berlin 1912, pp. 8-9; Bischoff, Kalender, in Pauly-Wissowa, XX, cols. 1575 sqq. Carmelo Trasselli