Posts Tagged ‘roman calendar’

Happy Leap Day!

February 29, 2008

c_julius-caesar_british_museum.jpgAs mentioned earlier, January and February were added to the end of the previously ten-month-plus-winter Roman Calendar by Numa Pompilius around 713 B.C.E. From the start Februarius (February) had fewer days than the other months. Indeed, since the Romans didn’t like even numbers it was the only month with an even number of days at all: Martius (March), Maius (May), Quinctilis (July), and October all had 31 days, while Ianuarius (January), Aprilis, Iunius (June), Sextilis (August), September, November, and December had 29 days. Click for more information on February, leap day, and the Julian Calendar.