One of the enduring traits of anyone interested in history is curiosity. Why something is the way it is offers fertile ground for investigation. One particular “rabbit hole” we can explore is why August is called August.
The Imperial Namesakes: Julius, Augustus, and the Renaming of Months
Most people know that July and August are named after Julius Caesar and Augustus Caesar, respectively. August was originally called Sextilis because it was the sixth month of the Roman calendar. It was renamed in 8 BCE to honor the new Emperor, Augustus. During his campaigns, Augustus had enjoyed great triumphs, including the conquest of Egypt during Sextilis, and he chose that month to be renamed accordingly. Before becoming Augustus, he was called Octavian. The title “Augustus” means “holy one” or “the savior of the world,” as his actions brought an end to the turmoil at the close of the Republican period of Roman history.
From Six to Eight: The Evolution of the Roman Calendar
The eagle-eyed amongst us will, of course, have noted that August is not the sixth month of the year but the eighth. This is because it was established under the original calendar of the Romans during the time of Romulus (753 BCE), which had ten months. These months started with March and ended with December. March is significant because it is named for the Roman god Mars, whom the Romans honored as a mythological ancestor through Romulus and Remus.
The Additions of January and February
Obviously, this ten-month calendar proved unsatisfactory and was increased by two months in 700 BCE by King Numa Pompilius, who added January and February. January is named after Janus, the god of new beginnings, and February is named for the purification ritual of Februa.
The Julian Reforms and the Modern Calendar’s Roots
These calendar innovations were further changed by the Julian reforms that took effect on January 1, 45 BCE, in an edict issued by Julius Caesar. These reforms included the introduction of leap years and the increase of Sextilis (August) by three days, from twenty-nine to thirty-one. In 44 BCE, the fifth month, Quintilis, was renamed to July in his honor.
The Julian Calendar continued in use until it was replaced with the Gregorian calendar in 1582. While the Julian calendar introduced leap years, the great innovation of the Gregorian calendar was to space them appropriately to approximate the solar year more closely.
Britain’s Adoption of the Gregorian Calendar
In 1751, Parliament enacted the Gregorian calendar as the official calendar of Britain and her Empire. This process displaced the Julian calendar, which had been in use since 44 CE. Despite the implications for taxation and holidays, the new calendar was superior to the old in the same ways that the Julian calendar was superior to the calendar innovations of King Numa Pompilius, which themselves improved upon Romulus’s initial system.
The Enduring Value of Historical Curiosity
The conclusion is that this “rabbit hole” was only made possible by historical curiosity. Historical curiosity is an essential attribute of the historian and one of the benefits of learning about history. Here at Portals to the Past, we are never shy of investigating a “rabbit hole” or going off on a tangent. Children ask the wildest questions, and our knowledgeable workshop leaders often chat at our team meetings about the questions we are asked.
If you are interested in booking one of our workshops, or would like some more information, please contact us today to discuss how we can help – Contact Us.