Ancient Roman Worksheets - Download Your Printable Calendar (2024)

FAQs

What was the ancient Roman calendar? ›

The Roman republican calendar still contained only 355 days, with February having 28 days; March, May, July, and October 31 days each; January, April, June, August, September, November, and December 29 days. It was basically a lunar calendar and short by 10 1/4 days of a 365 1/4-day tropical year.

The original Roman calendar appears to have consisted only of 10 months and of a year of 304 days. The remaining 61 1/4 days were apparently ignored, resulting in a gap during the winter season.

Here, we focus mainly on the calendar used in the Roman Republic (509-27 BCE). Also known as the Republican calendar, it is the earliest calendar system from Rome for which we have historical evidence. It was used until 45 BCE, when it was replaced by the Julian calendar.

For centuries the Romans used a period of eight days in civil practice, but in 321 CE Emperor Constantine established the seven-day week in the Roman calendar and designated Sunday as the first day of the week.

The Julian calendar is the one that was introduced in the year 46 BC by Julius Caesar to all of the Roman Empire, and it is the calendar that was used during the life of Jesus Christ and at the time of the early Church.

The 10 months were named Martius, Aprilis, Maius, Junius, Quintilis, Sextilis, September, October, November, and December. The last six names were taken from the words for five, six, seven, eight, nine, and ten. Romulus, the legendary first ruler of Rome, is supposed to have introduced this calendar in the 700s B.C.E.

The new thirteenth month was designated "Sol." This perpetual calendar, better known in the United States as the Eastman plan, met with favorable reception among many Americans.

The Julian calendar reform by Julius Caesar in 45 BCE, advised by astronomer Sosigenes, added January and February at the year's start. This shift moved October and December to the 10th and 12th positions but retained their names, reflecting their original placements.

September is the ninth month because two months were added to the original ten month calendar, but those months were January and February. Contrary to popular belief the months of July and August were NOT added, they simply were renamed.

In ancient Rome, an hour was not a consistent unit of time. In the summer, it could be as long as 75 minutes – and in the winter it sometimes lasted just 45 minutes. At first it just appeared to be a plain block of carved stone.

What is June named after? ›

June is named after the Roman goddess Juno – the god of marriage and childbirth, and the wife of Jupiter, king of the gods. Here she is seated in a chariot. Giulio Bonasone (1500/10–1574), The Triumph of Juno from the series Loves, Rages and Jealousies of Juno. Engraving, 1531–1576.

The Julian Calendar adds a day to the calendar every 4 years. The Gregorian calendar does the same, except when the year is divisible by 100 and not divisible by 400. Then the leap year is skipped. Different Level of Accuracy: The Julian Calendar was off by 11 minutes every solar year.

In 45 B.C., Julius Caesar ordered a calendar consisting of twelve months based on a solar year. This calendar employed a cycle of three years of 365 days, followed by a year of 366 days (leap year). When first implemented, the "Julian Calendar" also moved the beginning of the year from March 1 to January 1.

An 8-day week was used in early Roman calendars. The week consisted of the days of the week, named after the Sun, Moon, and five visible planets: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. However, there was an additional market day called the nundinae.