months

The Latin origins
of the English months

Here are the names of the months in English and where they come from in Latin.
But the explanations are in the wrong lines.

Get them all in the correct order and send them to : ludi magister

Month	Latin name	Latin origin	explanation (in the wrong order!)
January	Ianuarius	Janus	the god of war
February	Februarius	Februa	the lucky month of the emperor Augustus
March	Martius	Mars	when the flowers open
April	Aprilis	aperire	a goddess, the wife of Jupiter
May	Maius	Maia	the god of beginnings
June	Iunius	Juno	an ancient goddess
July	Iulius	Iulius	the "eighth" month
August	Augustus	Augustus	a ceremony held on February 15th
September	September	septem	the "ninth" month
October	October	octo	the month Julius Caesar was born
November	November	novem	the" tenth" month
December	December	decem	the "seventh" month

You can find out about some of the gods by clicking on the name or description.

Note that the Roman year originally began in March, when the weather was getting better - and they could go out to fight and farm again. So to begin with, September was the seventh month of the Roman year. (July was originally called Quintilis, and August was called Sextilis.)

home