Roman Calendar
Intercalary months
The insertion of the intercalary month was made by the pontifex maximus, the high priest of the College of Pontiffs in ancient Rome. However this system was flawed because the Roman calendar year defined the term of office of elected officials, thus a pontifex maximus could control the length of the year depending on their political agenda.
What are the Ides?
They occurred on the 15th day of March, May, July, and October, and the 13th day of the other months. They are thought to have been the days of the full moon.
What are the Calends (Kalendae, Kalends)?
They signify the start of the new moon cycle and was always the first day of the month. It is derived from the Greek word καλειν, "to announce" the days of the full and new moon.
What are the Nones (Nonae)?
They were known to be the days of the half moon which usually occur 8 days before the Ides.
The Julian Calendar
When Julius Caesar became pontifex maximus, he reformed the calendar by getting rid of the intercalary months. The Julian calendar was created, then completed during his successor Augustus' reign.
Latin dates...
a.d. = ante diem = on X day before... (+abl.) pridie = the day before (+acc.) AUC = ab urbe condita = from the founding of the city 753 BC = 1 AUC
Latin dates...
based on the: Kal. = Kalendas = 1st of the month Non. = Nonibus = the 5th/7th of the month Id. = Idibus = the 13th/15th of the month
Adding January, February, July & August
he addition of January and February meant that some of the months' names no longer agreed with their position in the calendar (September - December). The month Quintilis was renamed July in honor of Julius Caesar in 44 BC and Sextilis was renamed August in honor of Augustus in 8 BC.
Are you down with AUC??!!
if the AUC date is less than 753 --> subtract from 754 to get the BC date 691 AUC = 754-691= 63BC if the AUC date is 754 or greater --> subtract 753 from it to get the AD date 833 AUC = 833-753 = 80 AD
Which months have 30 Days in Romulus' Calendar?
Aprilis, Iunius, Sextilis, September, November, December
How did they count the days?
Each day was referred to by how many days it fell before the Calends, Nones or Ides. For example, March 11 would be known as "Five Ides" to the Romans because it is four days before the Ides of March (March 15).
When did the calendar start?
It started the year in March (Martius) and consisted of 10 months, with 6 months of 30 days and 4 months of 31 days. The calendar year only lasted 304 days with 61 days unaccounted for in the winter.
Where do the names of the months come from?
January - Januarius, named after JANUS, god of beginnings. February - Februarius, named for Februa, the feast of purification. March - Martius, (month of) Mars. April - Aprilis, the name may derive from the Greek goddess of love, Aphrodite.
Latin dates...
Kal. Ian. = Jan 1 pridie Kal. Ian. = Dec 31 a.d. iii Kal. Ian. = Dec 30 the Romans counted INCLUSIVELY
Which months have 31 Days in Romulus' Calendar?
Martius, Maius, Quintilis, October
Where do the names of the months come from?
May - Maius, from the Greek Maia, goddess of spring (growth). June - Junius, named after the goddess Juno, Queen of the gods. July - Julius (Caesar) after whom it was named in 44 BC August - Augustus (Caesar) 8 BC
Who was the first King of Rome?
Romulus
Where do the names of the months come from?
September - seventh month in the early Roman calendar October - eighth month in the early Roman calendar November - ninth month of the early Roman calendar December - tenth month of the early Roman calendar
What about the Nones & Ides...
"March, July, October, May Have Nones the 7th, Ides the 15th, day." the rest of the months: nones = 5th day ides = 13th day they were set 2 days earlier bc even numbers were unlucky for religious celebrations
What year was Rome founded in?
753 BC