Download Dies Solis

Calendarium
The early Romans attempted to syncronize the months with the first crescent moon
following a new moon resulting in some months of 29 days and some of more.
Every other year, February was shortened and a leap month (Intercalaris) was added
in an attempt to realign lunar cycles with the solar calendar...this was a mess!
Every other year, February was shortened and a leap month (Intercalaris) was added
in an attempt to realign lunar cycles with the solar calendar. The lengths of the years
in a four year cycle of this lunisolar calendar were 355, 377, 355, and 378 days. This
added up to 4 days too many to stay in sync with the solar year.
Eventually Julius Caesar asked an astronomer, Sosigenes of Alexandria, Egypt, to
devise a better calendar. What resulted is called the Julian Calendar. He abandoned
aligning the months with lunar cycles, and adopted months of 30 or 31 days length,
keeping February at 28 days. He introduced an extra day in February in leap years.
Sound familiar?
Julius Caesar re-named the 5th month after himself. His successor, Augustus Caesar,
re-named the 6th month after himself.
The first day of each month was called Kalendae, or calends. Debts were due on this
day, so books to track payments were called calendarium (account book) from which
we get our modern day calendar.
I (prīmus)
II (secundus)
III (tertius)
IV (quārtus)
V (quīntus)
VI (sextus)
VII (septimus)
VIII (octāvus)
IX (nōnus)
X (decimus)
Month
January
Latin
Januarius
Origin
February
Februarius
March
Martius
Named after the god Mars.
April
Aprilis
The traditional etymology is from the Latin aperire, "to
open," in allusion to its being the season when trees and
flowers begin to "open,"
May
Maius
Probably named after the fertility goddess Maia.
June
Junius
Named after the Roman goddess Juno, wife of Jupiter and
equivalent to the Greek goddess Hera
July
Julius
Named after Julius Caesar in 44 B.C.E. Prior to that time its
name was Quintilis from the word quintus, fifth, because it
was the 5th month in the old Roman calendar.
August
Augustus
Named after emperor Augustus in 8 B.C.E. Prior to that time
the name was Sextilis from the word sextus, sixth, because it
was the 6th month in the old Roman calendar.
September
September
From the word septem, seven, because it was the 7th month
in the old Roman calendar. Januarius and Februarius were
added in 700 BC, making the months no longer match up.
October
October
From the word octo, eight, because it was the 8th month in
the old Roman calendar. Januarius and Februarius were
added in 700 BC, making the months no longer match up.
November
November
From the word novem, nine, because it was the 9th month in
the old Roman calendar. Januarius and Februarius were
added in 700 BC, making the months no longer match up.
December
December
From the word decem, ten, because it was the 10th month in
the old Roman calendar. Januarius and Februarius were
added in 700 BC, making the months no longer match up.
Janus is the Roman god of gates and doors (ianua),
1. beginnings and endings,
2. He was worshipped at the beginnings of
important events in a person's life
3. the beginnings of important events in a person's
life.
4. beginning of the harvest time, planting,
marriage, birth, etc.
1. is named for the Februa/Februatio festival, which
occurred on the 15th day of the Roman month.
2. A later Roman god Februus personified both the
month and also purification, and is named for them.
3. Thus, the month is named for the festival and not for
the god.
I.
Origin of the names of the days
a. The names of the days are in some cases derived from Teutonic
deities or, such as in Romance languages, from Roman deities.
b. The early Romans, around the first century, used Saturday as the
first day of the week.
i. As the worshipping of the Sun increased, the Sun's day
(Sunday) advanced from position of the second day to the
first day of the week
1. (Saturday became the seventh day).
Latin
Spanish
Dies Solis
Domingo
Dies Lunae
Dies Martis
Lunes
Norse
Domenica Sunnon-Dagaz
Mon(an)dæg
Lunedi
Martes
Martedi
Dies Mercurii
Miércoles Mercoledi
Wodnesdæg
Dies Jovis
Jueves
Giovedi
Thursdæg
Dies Veneris
Viernes
Venerdi
Frigedæg
Dies Saturni
Sábado
Sabato
Sæter(nes)dæg
c.
Italian
Tiwesdæg
was established as imperial calendar in the late Roman empire
i. and furthered by the Christian church for historical reasons.
ii. The British Empire used the seven-day week and spread it
worldwide.
iii. The Norse Viking invasions of Britain changed the
pronunciation of the days.
Sunday
The name comes from the Latin dies solis, meaning "sun's day": the name of a
pagan Roman holiday. It is also called Dominica (Latin), the Day of God. The
Romance languages, languages derived from the ancient Latin language (such
as French, Spanish, and Italian), retain the root.
French: dimanche; Italian: domenica; Spanish: domingo
German: Sonntag; Dutch: zondag. [both: 'sun-day']
Monday
The name comes from the Anglo-Saxon monandaeg, "the moon's day". This
second day was sacred to the goddess of the moon.
French: lundi; Italian: lunedi. Spanish: lunes. [from Luna, "Moon"]
German: Montag; Dutch: maandag. [both: 'moon-day']
Tuesday
Tiu (Twia) is the English/Germanic god of war and the sky.The Romans named
this day after their war-god Mars: dies Martis.
Wednesday
The day named to honor Wodan (Odin). The chief divinity of the Norse pantheon,
Odin is a god of war and death, of poetry and wisdom.
The Romans called it dies Mercurii, after their god Mercury.
Thursday
The day named after the Norse god Thor. Thor is the Norse god of thunder. He
was very popular as the protector of both gods and humans against the forces of
evil. He even surpassed his father Odin in popularity because, contrary to Odin,
he did not require human sacrifices. In the Norse languages this day is called
Torsdag.
The Romans named this day dies Jovis ("Jove's Day"), after Jove or Jupiter, their
most important god.
French: jeudi; Italian: giovedi; Spanish: jueves.
German: Donnerstag; Dutch: donderdag.
Friday
Norse goddess of love, beauty, and fecundity (prolific procreation).
Saturday
This day was called dies Saturni, "Saturn's Day", by the ancient Romans in honor
of Saturn. In Anglo-Saxon: sater daeg.
French: samedi; Italian: sabato; Spanish: sábádo.
and in Danish and Norse: Lørdag ("washing day").