Roman/Julian Calendar
The first Roman calendar was taken from the Greeks. It had 10 months and 308 days. The calendar did not line up properly with the Earth's movement and was completely out of whack (3 whole months off) by Caesar's time.(The calendar at left is an early version of a Roman 12-month calendar.) It was in 46 BC that Caesar ordered his astronomer to draw up a new, more accurate calendar. This new calendar had 12 months, each with 29 to 31 days. Another new addition to this calendar is the leap year. The new year was changed from March 1 to January 1. This change led to what became known as the "year of confusion" due to the 80 extra days--445 altogether--necessary to bring the year into coordination with the seasons.
Origins of the Names of the Months
The Latin language of the Romans has given us the names of all twelve months of the year.
January: This month was named after Janus (the two-faced Roman god of beginnings and transitions) as it was the beginning of the new year. Around 450 BC January became the first month of the year, replacing March.
January: This month was named after Janus (the two-faced Roman god of beginnings and transitions) as it was the beginning of the new year. Around 450 BC January became the first month of the year, replacing March.
February: February comes from the Latin word februum; meaning "purification." It was called this after Februa; a cleansing ritual. The Romans later personified this into the god Februus.
March: The month of Mars derives its name from the Roman god of war & guardian of agriculture; Mars. It was so named because it was the considered best season for beginning warfare & farming.
April: Although the origin of this month is uncertain, it is suspected to either have come from the Latin verb aperire, meaning "to open" as it was the month in which the flowers open. Another theory is it was named in honour of Venus (the Roman equivalent of Aphrodite, or Aphros on Latin), as it was both her sacred month & her Veneralia was held at the beginning of this month. The Prussian linguist & fairytale writer Jacob Grimm suggested that April was named after a hypothetical deity or hero named Aper or Aprus, although this seems to be a slight stretch. It was originally the second month of the year.
May: This month was named after the Roman goddess of fertility Bona Dea (the name itself comes from her Greek name; Maia), as her festival was held at the beginning of this month. The Roman poet Ovid offers a alternative etymology; that May was named for the maiores (elders).
June: Named after the Roman equivalent of Hera and the wife of Jupiter; Juno. However, the Roman poet Ovid claims that the month also has a second etymology; that June is also named to honour the iuniores (young people).
July: The month was originally named Quinctilis, from the Latin word Quinque; meaning five as it was the fifth month of the year (note that the year would have started in March when Quinctilis was named). After Augustus came to power he named this month in honour of his predecessor & adoptive father; Julius Caesar. Caesar was a populist leader who later became the first Roman Emperor, but was assassinated by Republican sympathizers who felt he was becoming an autocratic dictator.
August: August was named in honour of Augustus Caesar; Julius Caesar's adopted son & eventual successor. The month was originally named Sextilis; coming from the Latin sex, meaning six as it was the sixth month of the year on the original Roman calendar. After Augustus Caesar came to power he renamed the month August in honour of himself.
September: The word September comes from the Latin prefix for seven; Septem, as it was the originally the seventh month.
October: October is so named because it was originally the eight month of the year (the Latin prefix for eight being Octo).
November: November was originally the ninth month of the year, and its name comes from the Latin prefix for nine; Novem.
December: Was the tenth month in the original Roman Calendar. Its name is from the Latin prefix for ten; Decem.
Gregorian Calendar
The Julian calendar was eleven minutes and fourteen seconds out of sync. Sixteen-hundred years (1580 AD) the calendar was off by ten days. Church festivals were being celebrated at the wrong time. In 1582, in order to correct the calendar, ten day were cut from that year. In addition to this, leap centuries were also added to ensure that the calendar.
The Catholic countries like France, Spain, Italy and Austria were all quick to switch to the new Gregorian calendar. Prussia did not accept the new calendar until 1700, the America and Great Britain did not accept the new calendar until 1782, Russia held on to the Julian calendar until after Red October and the Turks took until 1928 (during Ataturk's reforms).
The Catholic countries like France, Spain, Italy and Austria were all quick to switch to the new Gregorian calendar. Prussia did not accept the new calendar until 1700, the America and Great Britain did not accept the new calendar until 1782, Russia held on to the Julian calendar until after Red October and the Turks took until 1928 (during Ataturk's reforms).
References
World Book Encyclopedia
Wikipediahttp://knowtheromans.co.uk/Categories/Gods/img/Janus.jpg
Wikipediahttp://knowtheromans.co.uk/Categories/Gods/img/Janus.jpg