1. Annus duodecim menses habet…
Roman Calendar
Annus duodecim menses habet…

2. Menses Januarius Februarius Martius Aprilis Maius Junius Julius
Augustus
September
October
November
December

3. Original Roman Calendar
Lunar Calendar = new moon averaged every 29.5 days
At the time of Romulus, the calendar started with “Martius” named after “Mars” because it was the month the Romans would go to war.

4. Romulus’ Calendar Martius Aprilis Maius Junius Quintilis (5)
Sextilis (6)
September (7)
October (8)
November (9)
December (10)

5. Menses Aprilis - comes from the verb “aperire” which means to open
Month in which the flowers open
Sacred to Venus (festival to honor her held on first day of month)

6. Menses
Maius - named after Maia, the Greek goddess of fertility (Bona Dea festival held in May)
Junius - named after Juno, Roman goddess of marriage
June is a “favorable” time for marriage

7. Januarius / Februarius
2nd King of Rome : Numa added these two months in 713 BC
Januarius - named after Janus, the two faced god (ianua = door) to symbolize the turning of the year
Februarius - named after the word “februum” which means purification
Februratio held on February 15th (cleaning)

8. Dates
Kalends : first day of the month, new moon (where we get the word calendar)
Nones : 8th day of the month, half moon (also the market day)
Ides : half way through the month, full moon (auspicious day)

9. Ides the fifteenth day.”
Nones and Ides
"March, May, July, October,
These are they,
Make Nones the seventh,
Ides the fifteenth day.”
In all other months, the Nones were on the 5th, and the Ides were on the 13th day.

10. Dates
The Kalends, Nones, and Ides are important because Romans COUNTED BACKWARDS from these markers to tell the date
Example:
March 14th : Pridie Ides Martius

11. Dates The day before is called PRIDIE Other days were a.d. NN
Example:
October 31st : Pridie Kalends November
Other days were a.d. NN
Abbreviation for ante diem NN (meaning on the NNth day before)
September 28 = a.d. III Kalends October

12. Julius/Augustus
In 44BC, the month Quintilis was renamed Julius in honor of Julius Caesar
In 8BC, the month Sextilis was renamed Augustus in honor of Augustus
Thus, the Julian Calendar

13. PRACTICE Using the Latin dating system, figure out these dates :
Your Birthday
New Year’s (Jan 1st)
Magistra’s Birthday (Mar 11th)
Valentine’s Day (Feb 14th)
America’s Independence Day (July 4th)
Labor Day (Sept 7th)
Thanksgiving (Nov 26th)
Christmas (Dec 25th)

14. Practice Answers Your Birthday New Year’s (Jan 1st) =
Kalends Januarius
Valentine’s Day (Feb 14th) =
a.d. XV Kalends Martius
Magistra’s Birthday (Mar 11th) =
a.d. IV Ides Martius

15. Practice Answers America’s Independence Day (July 4th) =
a.d. III Nones Julius
Labor Day (Sept 7th) =
a.d. VI Ides September
Thanksgiving (Nov 26th) =
a.d. V Kalends December
Christmas (Dec 25th)
a.d. VII Kalends Janarius

16. tempus anni Spring : ver Summer : aestas Autumn : autumnus
Winter : hiems