Download Three Special Days

Roman Calendar
Three Special Days
 Kalends (Kalendae, -arum)
– first of the month
 Nones (Nonae, -arum)
– usually 5th day of the month
 Ides (Idus, Iduum)
– usually the 13 day of the month
 Exceptions
– March, May, October, July (Minute Maid Orange
Juice)
• Ides on the 15th
• Nones on the 7th
Calculation of Dates
 Romans designated the day of the month by
counting how many days until the next
special day
– thus the Romans were always anticipating the
future date
 The count began with the day itself
 The day before was called pridie
Examples
 pridie Kalendas Maias (the day before May
1, i.e. April 30)
 ante diem III Kalendas Maias (April 29)
 a.d. IV Kalendas Maias (April 28)
 Idus Octobres (October 15)
 a.d. III Idus Martias (March 13)
 pridie Kalendae Januarias (December 31)
 a.d. XIII Kal. Jun. (May 20)
Months
 Ianuarius, -a, um
 Februarius, -a, um
 Martius, -a, -um
 Aprilis, -is, -e
 Maius, -a, -um
 Junius, -a, -um
Iulius, -a, -um
Augustus, -a, -um
September, -bris, -bre
October, -bris, -bre
November, -bris, -bre
December, -bris, -bre
Years - AUC to BC, AD
 AUC - ab urbe condita - from the
foundation of the city
– Rome was founded in 753BC
 To convert a Roman year to our system
– if the AUC date is 753 or less, subtract it from
754 and you will obtain the BC date
– if the AUC date is 754 or greater, subtract 753
from it and you will obtain an A.D. date
Examples
 691 AUC = 63 BC
 833 AUC = 80AD
Years - BC, AD to AUC
 to convert a year designated according to
our system to a Roman year
– if the year is BC, subtract it from 754
– if the year is AD, add it to 753
 Examples
– 63 BC = 691 AUC
– 80 AD = 833 AUC
Roman Day
 daylight was divided into twelve hours
starting at sunrise and ending at sunset
– prima hora - the first hour
• 6 - 7 AM
 nighttime was divided into four vigilae
(watches) each of three hours duration
– prima vigilia = 6-9 PM
– secunda vigilia = 9-12 PM
Abbreviations
 AUC - ab urbe condita (from the founding
of the city
 BC - before Christ
 BCE - before the Christian era
 AD - Anno Domini - in the year of our Lord
 AM - ante meridiem - before noon
 PM - ante meridiem - after noon