Months in A Year

The original Roman year had 10 named months Martius “March”, Aprilis “April”, Maius “May”, Junius “June”, Quintilis “July”, Sextilis “August”, September “September”, October “October”, November “November”, December “December”, and probably two unnamed months in the dead of winter when not much happened in agriculture. The year began with Martius “March”. Numa Pompilius, the second king of Rome circa 700 BC, added the two months Januarius “January”

and Februarius “February”. He also moved the beginning of the year from Marius to Januarius and changed the number of days in several months to be odd, a lucky number. After Februarius there was occasionally an additional month of Intercalaris “intercalendar”. This is the origin of the leap-year day being in February. In 46 BC, Julius Caesar reformed the Roman calendar (hence the Julian calendar) changing the number of days in many months and removing Intercalaris.

Below is the meaning of the name of months :

1.      January—Janus’s month

Janus is the Roman god of gates and doorways, depicted with two faces looking in opposite directions. His festival month is January.

2.      February—month of Februa

Februa is the Roman festival of purification, held on February fifteenth. It is possibly of Sabine origin.

3.      March—Mars’ month

March was the original beginning of the year, and the time for the resumption of war.Mars is the Roman god of war. He is identified with the Greek god Ares.

4.      April—Aphrodite’s month

Aphrodite is the Greek goddess of love and beauty. She is identified with the Roman goddess Venus.

5.      May—Maia’s month

Maia (meaning “the great one”) is the Italic goddess of spring, the daughter of Faunus, and wife of Vulcan.

6.      June—Juno’s month

Juno is the principle goddess of the Roman Pantheon. She is the goddess of marriage and the well-being of women. She is the wife and sister of Jupiter. She is identified with the Greek goddess Hera.

7.      July—Julius Caesar’s month

Julius Caesar reformed the Roman calendar (hence the Julian calendar) in 46 BC. In the process, he renamed this month after himself.

8.      August—Augustus Caesar’s month

Augustus Caesar clarified and completed the calendar reform of Julius Caesar. In the process, he also renamed this month after himself.

9.      September—the seventh month

Latin septem “seven” + -ber (adj. suffix)September had 30 days, until Numa when it had 29 days, until Julius when it became 30 days long.

    10.   October—the eighth month

    Latin octo “eight” + -ber (adj. suffix)

    11.  November—the nineth month

    Middle English Novembre
    Latin November
    Latin Novembris mensis “nineth month”

    12.  December—the tenth month

    Middle English decembre
    Old French decembre
    Latin december “tenth month”
    Latin decem “ten” + -ber (adj. suffix)