(January 29, 2024) The earliest time keeping of the Romans was for the purpose of knowing when to plant crops. Hence it was based on the lunar calendar between the Spring equinox and the Winter solstice. Because 12 Luner cycles equaling 354 days are shorter then the 365 plus days of the solar cycles, time keeping during the winter was ignored. Nature based agricultural festivals were then based on this time keeping scheme.
Calendars really began with efforts to merge the lunar cycles with the solar cycle. The calendar which the world uses today is based upon the Roman calendar introduced during the time of Julius Caesar which is a reform of earlier less accurate versions. It is called the Julian calendar and it took effect in the Roman empire on January 1, 45 BCE by a decree from Julius Caesar.
The Julian calendar has two types of years: a normal year of 365 days and a leap year of 366 days which occurs every 4th year. giving an average year that is 365.25 days long. That is more than the actual solar year value of approximately 365.2422 days which means the Julian calendar gains one day every 129 years. In other words, the Julian calendar gains 3.1 days every 400 years.
The Romans preserved the shell of the lunar system by labeling the key phases of the moon within the new months. These are:
Nones - first quarter, religious festivals can safely start after this event
Ides - full moon occurring 8 days after the first quarter.
Kalend - new moon, All the Kalends were sacred to Juno.
The Roman week or nundinal period was eight days which is indicated in all the calendars by the letters A to H. The Nundinae were market days, on which the farmers came into Rome. Whether these should be considered as feast days (feriae) was a disputed question even in antiquity.
January became the first month of the year around turn of the millennium as Rome became an empire. The rationale for the transition from March to January is give by the Roman poet Ovid (43 BCE to 18 CE) (Fasti, ii 47 foll.)
In Latin
In English
The deity Janus was the deity of transitions who was often thought of as a gate or door. Hence this property of being transitional was thought more appropriate throughout the empire for representing the start of the year.
Ancient Rome around 600 BCE. The Lapis Niger and adjacent shrine were located in the central valley which was the entrance to the Palatine hill. This valley later became the forum.
From: https://algargosarte.blogspot.com/2015/09/el-lapis-niger-y-la-cloaca-maxima.html
(January 29, 2024) The earliest time keeping of the Romans was for the purpose of knowing when to plant crops. Hence it was based on the lunar calendar between the Spring equinox and the Winter solstice. Because 12 Luner cycles equaling 354 days are shorter then the 365 plus days of the solar cycles, time keeping during the winter was ignored. Nature based agricultural festivals were then based on this time keeping scheme.
Calendars really began with efforts to merge the lunar cycles with the solar cycle. The calendar which the world uses today is based upon the Roman calendar introduced during the time of Julius Caesar which is a reform of earlier less accurate versions. It is called the Julian calendar and it took effect in the Roman empire on January 1, 45 BCE by a decree from Julius Caesar.
The Julian calendar has two types of years: a normal year of 365 days and a leap year of 366 days which occurs every 4th year. giving an average year that is 365.25 days long. That is more than the actual solar year value of approximately 365.2422 days which means the Julian calendar gains one day every 129 years. In other words, the Julian calendar gains 3.1 days every 400 years.
The Romans preserved the shell of the lunar system by labeling the key phases of the moon within the new months. These are:
Nones - first quarter, religious festivals can safely start after this event
Ides - full moon occurring 8 days after the first quarter.
Kalend - new moon, All the Kalends were sacred to Juno.
The Roman week or nundinal period was eight days which is indicated in all the calendars by the letters A to H. The Nundinae were market days, on which the farmers came into Rome. Whether these should be considered as feast days (feriae) was a disputed question even in antiquity.
January became the first month of the year around turn of the millennium as Rome became an empire. The rationale for the transition from March to January is give by the Roman poet Ovid (43 BCE to 18 CE) (Fasti, ii 47 foll.)
In Latin
In English
The deity Janus was the deity of transitions who was often thought of as a gate or door. Hence this property of being transitional was thought more appropriate throughout the empire for representing the start of the year.
(February 1, 2024) Akkadian M.Y ("Fertility-Fluids.Not Affected by" or "Not being affected by fertility-fluids" as an epithet for those not physically alive by being connected to the life network)
May in Italy seems to have been a month of erratic unpredictable weather. This characteristic was applied to the unpredictability of death.
May 1 Kalends/New Moon: Laribus (for the Lares) - Lares were the spirits of place, often the protective spirits of home and family
May 9, 11, 13: Lemuria (Spirits of the Dead Still Walking the Earth) - this is some event dealing with those lost spirits
May 15 Emotional: Feriae Iovi Mereurio Maiae (Festival of Jupiter's mercurial May
May 21 Emotional: Agonia (struggle) - probably of family members after the death of a loved one
May 23 Emotional: Tubilustrium, Volcano - Roman tubas (tubilustrium) were horns used to call public assemblies. This was a time of preparation probably for unexpected death while remembering the sudden eruption of Vesuvius which destroyed Pompei and Herculaneum.
May 25: Fortunae Publicae Populi Romani (Public Fortune of the Roman People) - An event about keeping luck for the Romans. It was the dedication-day of one of three temples of Fortuna on the Quirinal.
(February 1, 2024) Akkadian IN ("Moon-Eyed-Ones" which is an epithet for astrological magic crafters who attempt to affect fate)
June 1 Kalends/New Moon: Iunoni Monetae (Money of June) - apparently and event to promote the good fortune of wealth
June 3: Bellonae in circo (Bellona at the circle) - An event about keeping the good fortune of peaceful relations with outsiders. Bellona was a goddess who had a temple at an outside gate of Rome which was used to receive ambassadors of unallied people. She was often shown as a warrior to symbolize the strength of Rome.
June 5: Dio Fidio in colle (Fidelity to the divinity on the hill) - this is an event promoting fidelity to the divine powers on "the hill" which is presumably the palatine hill. Fidelity promoted favor from the gods.
June 8: Menti in Capitolio (Minds in the Capital) - event about promoting the good fortune of intelligence among the Roman leadership
June 9: Vestalia (for the Vestals) - this is an event promoting the health and well being of the Vestals, Rome's official community daughters. These priestesses, the Vestal Virgins, were tasked with keeping an eternal fire. This derived from the ancient practice of having the community's daughters keep a central fire going to use as a starting fire for any family who needed to restart their own fire.
June 11: Matralia (Mothers Holiday) - an event promoting successful motherhood
June 13 emotional Ides/Full Moon: Fariae Iove (Festival of Jupiter) - Jupiter was the main god of early Rome.
June 18 Annae Sacrum (Sacred Anna) - Anna seems to be a personification of the circle (Latin annus) of life probably referring to the concept of reincarnation.
June 20: Summano ad circum maximum (Summer at the Circus Maximus) - Summanos was a god whose characteristics are unknown because a statue of his was hit by lighting. The temple of Summanus in Rome was dedicated during the Pyrrhic War c. 278 BCE. It stood at the west of the Circus Maximus, perhaps on the slope of the Aventine. Summanos later became notorious when one of his statues on the roof of some temple was struck by a lightning. This event overshadowed all other discussions about him in our sparse historical sources although he must have represented the mid-summer solstice.
June 24: Forti Fortunae (Strong Fortune) - an event about promoting the fortunes of Rome
(February 1, 2024) The was soon to be renamed July after Julius Caesar. Harvests begin. The wheat harvest in Italy occurs between late June and early July.
July 5, emotional: Poplifugia (the fleeing people) - This likely relates to the fact that during harvest time everyone in the villages goes out into the fields to bring in the crops. In 42 BCE the Senate passed a decree that Caesar's birthday should be celebrated on this day.
July 6-13: Ludi Apolli Nares (Games of Apollo's Nostrils) - Apollo was the connective life god represented by the sun (Druid Hu). Breath represents him incorporating emotion/motion powers (spirit). So this is an event promoting an active life power during harvest apparently to avoid destructive pestilence from rodents and insects).
July 7, Nones: Nonae Caprotinae (9th goat) - this is probably an epithet for a scapegoat. This is not found on the oldest calendar fragments yet is likely relates to a ceremony driving evil from the fields near harvest time.
July 9: Vitulatio (of the calves or herd) - an event for promoting livestock births.
(Lucaria is equivalent to the August 1 Lammas Celebration in Northern Europe)
July 14-19: Mereatus (Deserved) - preparation leading up to the main harvest festival of Lucaria.
July 18: Deis Aliensis (Alien gods) - probably thanking alien gods for not interfering
July 19, emotional: Lucaria - Apparently the main harvest festival of the month. This seems to be the Akkadian phrase L.KaR (Lack.Reduction) so this event celebrates a full harvest not reduced by any negative influences.
July 21, emotional: Lucaria - probably a continuation of the first Lucaria.
July 23: Neputunalia (for the lakes/sea) - celebrating the harvest from these sources.
July 25, emotional: Furrinalia - "Fa" is Indo-European meaning to protect and feed. So this must be the final feast of thanksgiving for the month.
July 30: Fortunae huiusque diei in campo (Fortunes of this day in the fields) - event celebrating or promoting harvest luck
(February 1, 2024) The was eventually renamed August after Augustus Caesar. This was the month in which the summer fruits and vegetables were harvested.
August 1 Kalends/New Moon: Spei ad forum holitorium (Hope for the forum's vegetables)
August 5 Nones: Saluti in collo Quir (Keeping safe on the capable roads) - capable roads are the roads which can accommodate trade carts.
August 8: Soli Indigiti in colle Quir (Only for the indigent on the capable roads)
August 12: Herculi invicto ad circus maximus (Invincible Hercules at the circle maximus) - Event involving Hercules protecting the food supply
August 13 emotional Eides/Full Moon: Feriae Iove, Dianae in Aventino, Vortumino in Aventino (Celebrations of Jupiter, Diana in Avento, and Vortumino in Avento) - Vortumino ins Akkadian WR.TaM meaning Dawn's.life-curse. Dawn is the time when motion powers were thought to affect life powers. So this is a festival celebrating Jupiter's ability to keep the life powers represented by Diana from being cursed by the motion powers.
August 17, Emotional: Portunalia - possibly and event involving ports and harbor trade
August 19, FP: Vinalia - Event involving the grape harvest and vinegar. Also possibly brand new wine.
August 21, emotional: Consualia (Custom holiday) - what this involves in unknown. It seems to be something situational. This also occurs in December just before Saturnalia.
August 23, emotional: Volcanalia - This is a fire festival represented by the Indo-European god Vulcan. This is the hottest time of the year in Italy.
August 25, emotional: Opiconsivia - An event involving agricultural overseers and planners ("Opicons")
August 27, Emotional: Volternalia - Volter means "to turn" in Latin so this event marks the turning of the harvest season into the season of plenty.
(February 1, 2024)
September 4-12: Ludi Romani (Games of Rome)
September 13, Ides/Full Moon: Iovi Epulum (Jupiter's Meal), Feriae Iovi (Festival of Jupiter) - A time of thanksgiving for a good harvest
September 14: Equorum Probatio (Trial of Horses)
September 15-19: Ludi Romani (Games of Rome)
September 2023: Mercatus (Annual Market) Fall Equinox
(February 2, 2024) This month is the end of the warring season so it deals with putting away the weapons of war.
Events of
October 1 Kalends/New Moon: Tigillo sororio ad compitum Aeili Fidei in Capitolio (Beams, a sister to quick crossings, Fidelity toward the Capitol) - What "Beams" is referencing is unknown. It may be wagon tongues or bridge elements, things having to do with quick transportation home.
October 5: Mundus patet (The world's appearance) - An event taking stock of Rome's security situation
October 7 Nones: Iovi fulguri Iunoni Curriti in campo (Jupiter's lightning Juno running from the field)
October 11 emotional: Meditrinalia (Mediterranean Holiday) - This was an event involving drinking new and old wine for healing disabilities from being away. Varros says this: "In the month of October on the Mediterranean days, ... the usual wine, new and old wine, was used as medicine to be tasted and tasted: that even now many are wont to do as they say: The new is the old I will drink wine, I will cure old disease with new wine." (L. L. vi. 22. Cp. Festus, 85)
October 13 emotional: Fontinalia (Fountain Holiday) - According toe Varro (L. L. vi. 22. Cp. Festus, 85) coins were thrown into fountains on this day. This seems to be the source of that practice which continues to this day.
October 15 Ides/Full Moon: Feriae Iovi (Festival of Jupiter) - also with the sacrifice of the October horse - This horse was a war horse and its sacrifice ended the waring season.
October 19 emotional: Armilusrium (Armory) - an event dealing with putting away and properly storing the weapons of war
(February 2, 2024)
November 4-17: Ludi Plebeii (Games of the Farmers)
November 13 emotional Eides/Full Moon: Feriae Iove, Iove epulum (Feast of Jupiter, Jupiter's food), Feroniae in campo (Feasts in the fields), Fortunae Primigeniae in colle (Luck for the first peoples on the hill, that is, the original Romans)
November 14: Equorum probatio (Testing of horses)
November 20 Mereatus (Meritorious)
(February 2, 2024)
December 1 Kalends/New Moon: Neptuno Pietati (Neptune's Piety), Fortunae Inuliebri (Luck of the Inuliebri) -"Inuliebri" is not a Latin word so it must be the Akkadian phrase IN.L.IB.R meaning "moon-eye.administer.See" or "Moon-eye (Druid dark new moon god Su) sees the administration-of-fate. This was a day promoting their luck in keeping Neptune's ground water flowing.
December 3 Sacrae Bonae Deae (Sacredness of the Good-Deeds from the Goddesses) - This would be a life power goddess (probably the Druid crescent moon goddess Ayu) which brings fertility to the land.
December 5 or 9 Nones: Faunalia rustica (Rural Animal Holiday) - this would be an event promoting the preservation of animals through the winter. Roman poet Horace (65-8 BCE) (iii, 3) wrote a poem about this holiday in which all animals live together in harmony under the powers of the personified animal god Faune: "He plays with the grassy cattle in every field, December returned with thee on the Ninth; The festival is spent in the meadows with idleness, With the oxen of the village; The wolf wanders among the brave lambs; ..."
December 8: Timberine in Insula (Timberine on the island) Timberine is another non-Latin word which must be the Akkadian phrase TM.BR.IN meaning "Life-curse.See.Moon-eye" or "Life-curses seen by the Moon-Eye (Druid dark new moon god Su)." The astrological magic crafters must have had a temple on an island in the middle of the Tiber.
December 11 emotional: Agonia (struggle) - the winter struggle of survival begins
December 12: Telluri et Cereri in Ceriuis (Terra and Ceres with beeswax candles) - An event involving the Indo-European elemental earth god Terra and the Druid life manifestation goddess Ceres who opens up the processes to manifest life on earth.
December 15 emotional: Consualia (Custom holiday) - what this involves in unknown. It seems to be something situational. It also occurs in August.
December 17 emotional: Saturnalia (Holiday of Saturn) - Ringing out the old year after the last of this year's olives had been processed. This was a time when the farmer's market was closed so it was also a time of one last feast and well wishes for getting through the winter. While this was not the winter solstice it had most of the activities seen at Christmas today.
December 19: Opalia - involving the Indo-European root "op" meaning to work together.
December 21 emotional: Divalia (Holiday of the Divine)
December 23 emotional: Laurentalia (Lares entering holiday) - probably an event re-welcoming the household protection deities back into the house after summer absences.
(February 3, 2024) January and February were not a part of the original calendar but were added sometime in early Roman history
January 1 Kalends/New Moon: Aesculapio Vediovi (Aesculapius' is Seen) - this is the winter solstice. Aescupapious is the Akkadian phrase AS.KL.P or Celestial-Heal.Constraint.Opener. He represented the power to open up the celestial light of healing. In both Greek and Latin cultures he was the god of healing and thought of as the son of the sun god. During the winter solstice he noticed the sun was ailing and started to heal it so its light would last longer.
January 3-5: Compitalies - This word derives from vulgar Latin which was the Latin of the legions containing many Germanic and Celtic influences. Since its Latin meaning is uncertain it probably derives from the Akkadian phrase KM.P.T meaning "binding.opening.astrology-magic" or "bining the openings of astrology-magic" which complements the Solstice of January 1 in which the celestial light of the sun is healed.
January 9 emotional: Agonia (struggle) - This would seem to be an alternate beginning to the winter shortages to December 11. Perhaps which day was celebrated depended on the bounty of last Fall's harvest.
January 11 emotional: Carmentalia (song holiday) - These songs are prophecies about the future. Ovid says this about the holiday: "Cecinit quae prima futures Aeneadas magnos et nobile Pallanteum" ("He sings the first things to come, The great Aeneads and the noble Pallantheus") .... "At felix vates, ut dis gratissima vixit, Possidet hunc iani sic dea mense diem." ("Yet fruitful are the seers and with living gratefulness for belonging to Janus, thus made this is the goddess' day of the month") (Ovid. Fasti, i. 461 foil).
January 15 emotional: Carmentalia (song holiday) - this is the second one of the ending of the first one.
January 24-26: Sementivae, feriae conceptivae (festival of conception) - apparently an event promoting fertility among farm animals
January 27: Castori et Polluci (Castor and Pollux) - these are the Indo-European Gemini twins who had stars named after them. They originally represented the power of driving and fighting from chariots (2 people required) who later became the deities representing all travelers using boats and wagons to get around.
(February 3, 2024) January and February were not a part of the original calendar but were added sometime in early Roman history
February 1 Kalends/New Moon: Iunoni Sespitae (Juno Sospitae) Juno was the dark new moon god of the Romans equivalent to the Druid Su. His main temple called Juno Sospitae was located in Lanuvium 20 miles southeast of Rome. It was a very wealthy (Livy 8.14; Cic. Nat. D. 1.83; Fin. 2.63) which allowed it to loan Octavian (future Augustus Caesar) money in 31 BCE to prosecute his war against Marc Antony. This earned it imperial favor for a few generations.
February 5 Nones: Concordiae in arce (Concord in Arce) - Arce is a town southwest or Rome. This seems to be remembering some agreement or treaty Rome made with an early southern kingdom.
February 13 emotional Ides/Full Moon: Fauno in Insula, Parentalia - Fauno was a deity which personified the power of animal fertility. Isula means island so its temple probably existed nearby on an island in the Tiber river. Parentalia was a holiday about parents. Consequently, this day seems to be about honoring one's lineage.
February 15 emotional: Lupercalia - the root of this word in not the Latin Lupa meaning "wolf" although later Romans seem to have thought that. The root word is "luper" which seems to be an Akkadian phrase LP.RK meaning "fat-of-the-land.raking." So this is a holiday for planting spring wheat and raking soil over it.
February 17 emotional: Quirinalia, Last day of the festival of conception called Fornicalia or "Holiday of fornication"). The root of this word in "forni" meaning hot place as in an oven or brothel. Quirini (Latin Kirini) is an Akkadian phrase meaning K.R.N or "Involving.eagle-vulture.revealing" or "Involving the revealings by eagle-vultures." Eagle vultures edited the life network links so whatever was left intact gave life to something on earth.
February 21 FP: Feralia (Holiday of Wildness) -
February 23 emotional: Terminalia (Holiday of Ending) - This seems to be the officail end of the planting season. The ritual of the Terminalia in the country districts is described by Ovid (and paraphrased by Fowler): "The two landowners garlanded each his side of the boundary-stone, and all offerings were doubled. An altar is made and fire is carried from the hearth by the farmer's wife, while the old man cuts up sticks and builds them in a framework of stout stakes. Then with dry bark the fire is kindled; from a basket, held ready by a boy 4, the little daughter of the family thrice shakes the fruits of the earth into the fire, and offers cakes of honey. Others stand by with wine ; and the neighbours (or dependants) look on in silence and clothed in white. A lamb is slain, and a sucking-pig, and the boundary- stone sprinkled with their blood ; and the ceremony ends with a feast and songs in praise of holy Terminus." (Ovid, Fasti, a. 643 foil.)
Ferrary 24: Regigugium (Fleeing of the king) - this seems to be a commemoration of getting rid of the ancient Roman kingship and replacing it with the republic.
February 27 emotional: Equirria Equirria (for the Nobility, the equestrian class) - This is also held on March 14. While was done on this day is unknown.