With 365 days a year except for leap years, which have 366 days, our current calendar is probably the most accurate calendar when it comes to measuring the solar cycle. But did you know that the basis of our present calendar system has not always been accurate? In fact, the origin of the calendar was very inaccurate, missing about two months every year. This calendar is the Roman calendar?an ancient calendar that eventually became the basis of the Western calendar.
According to traditions, the earliest version of the Roman calendar was invented by Romulus, the mythical founder of Rome in the 700s B.C. It was originally a lunar calendar made up of 10 months, namely Martius (March), Aprilis (April), Maius (May), Junius (June), Quintilis (July), Sextilis (August), September, October, November, and December. The said calendar was made up of only 304 days, with some 61 days of winter simply omitted.
Grow Calendar 2011
During the reign of Numa Pompilius, the first revision to the Roman calendar was made. During that time, the months of Ianuarius (January) and Februarius (February) were added, making it a 12-month calendar of 355 days. To align the calendar with the solar year, a leap month of 27 days was also introduced. The inclusion of the leap month, which was called the Mensis Intercalaris, in the regular calendar year was decided by an official called the pontifex maximus, although such inclusion usually happened in alternate years.
While the Roman calendar shifted from lunar to solar during the reign of Pompilius, the months of the calendar remained lunar. Days for each month, for example, were named based on the phases of the moon. In this system, three specific days were given special names. These days were the Kalends, which was the first day of the month, the Ides, which was the day of the Half Moon, and the Nones, which was the day of the Full Moon. Furthermore, all other names in a month were named in reference to these special days.
Through the years, the Roman calendar continued to evolve and improve. The latest product of this evolution is what we now call the modern Western calendar. And while there may be few similarities between our present calendar and the ancient Roman calendar, the fact remains that our very accurate calendar of today had very inaccurate roots.
The Roman Calendar Grow Calendar 2011
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