Unveiling the Stories Behind the Months: History & Folklore

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As we flip calendar pages and cycle through the 12 months each year, it’s intriguing to ponder how these time increments acquired their particular names. The months hold rich histories interweaving astronomy, ancient Roman emperors, and mythical gods and goddesses. Tracing the linguistic and cultural origins reveals some fascinating insights. This article explores the varied stories behind the months and sheds light on how our modern calendar evolved. Read on for an engaging walk-through time!

The Early Roman Calendar

Our current Gregorian calendar, a topic you can easily learn about on Englishontips, descended from the ancient Roman lunar calendar which originally had 10 months totaling 304 days. The first historical calendar dated to 753 BC began in March and ended in December. Significant Roman rulers and events influenced the emerging calendar:

  • January and February were added around 700 BC by King Numa Pompilius to create a 12-month year.
  • July was renamed after Julius Caesar in 44 BC to honor him and August after Caesar Augustus.
  • January transitioned to the start of the new year circa 153 BC along with naming months after Roman deities.

This lunar Republican calendar was tweaked until Julius Caesar instituted his Julian calendar in 45 BC. It had 365 days with a leap year every 4 years, close to our modern version.

Meanings Behind the Months

Discovering the names of months and covering their interesting stories and cultural backgrounds.

January

January was named after the Roman god Janus, who represented beginnings, transitions, doors, and passages. He was depicted with two faces looking forward and backward.

February

comes from the Latin word “forum” signifying purification ritual. Ancient Romans performed the February festival for cleansing.

March

March was named for the Roman god Mars who embodied warfare and virility. March marked the start of military campaigns and planting season.

April

April derives from the Latin “aperire” meaning to open, denoting springtime blossoming. April’s association with Venus led to celebrations of love.

May

May is connected to Maia, the Roman earth goddess of spring and growth. She oversaw the flowering plants.

June

June derives from Juno, the Roman goddess of marriage and childbirth who was also Jupiter’s wife. Her protector role extended to all aspects of women’s lives.

July

Originally Quintilis meaning fifth month, July was rechristened Julius after Roman leader Julius Caesar, since he was born in this summer month.

August

Originally Sextilis or sixth month, August was renamed to honor the first Roman emperor Augustus Caesar. Some August dates are significant for him.

September

September means the seventh month in Latin though it retained the name when it became the ninth month. Romans believed the number 7 was lucky.

October

October retains its numerical name signifying the eighth month from the Latin “octo” despite shifting to month 10 in the Julian calendar.

November

November derives from the Latin “novem” or nine. Numa Pompilius likely added this as the ninth month around 700 BC.

December

December signifies ten in Latin for this final winter month. Before January and February, December closed out the calendar year.

While the months appear neatly ordered, their names now only numerically align every other month since shuffling over centuries. The stories behind each reflect a medley of ancient gods, leaders, events, and symbolism.

Tracking the Evolution from Roman to Gregorian Calendars

From Caesar’s calendar to Pope Gregory’s adjustments, it took centuries for the modern calendar to crystallize:

  • 45 BC: Julius Caesar institutes his Julian calendar spanning 365 days with a leap year every 4 years based on the solar cycle. This anchored the months and lengths we still use.
  • 5th century: The Roman Empire transitions to a 12 month year with January as the first month.
  • 1582: Pope Gregory XIII fine-tunes the Julian calendar creating the Gregorian calendar to correct for too many leap years over centuries.
  • 1752: Catholic countries adopt the Gregorian calendar. Britain and its American colonies transition in 1752 by eliminating 11 days in September.

Incremental tweaks by figures like Julius Caesar, Roman emperors, and Pope Gregory XIII over two millennia gradually shaped the calendar from disorderly Roman months into the logical system used worldwide today.

Myths and Folklore of the Months

Beyond the historical origins, each month boasts associated myths and folklore which imbue it with rich symbolism:

  • January’s two-headed god Janus represents reflecting on the past and future.
  • February’s purification festival sought to wash away sins and hardship. People wore goat skins representing fertility.
  • March’s namesake Mars instigated military campaigns after winter. The Roman new year began with Mars’ fervor.
  • April’s spring showers were said to be from Venus’ tears of mourning for her lover Adonis.
  • May’s Maia typified motherhood, nurturing plants and creatures back to life. Celebrations welcomed spring.
  • June’s goddess Juno oversaw marriage, childbirth, and femininity. By June, farm work eased for June weddings.
  • Julius Caesar’s birth month July marked midsummer with magic associated with witchcraft and protecting against bad luck.
  • August’s festivals venerated the goddess Ceres with bonfires and torchlight parades as summer’s heat waned.
  • September’s name retained cosmic auspices of the number seven, considered spiritual and magical.
  • October’s pre-winter storms required harvest completion. The Dog Star rising in October signaled tempestuous weather.
  • November was known by the Saxons as Windmonath representing winds pounding the land ahead of winter’s bite.
  • The yule log tradition in December dates to pre-Christian winter solstice celebrations of light overcoming darkness.

These mythological tales and folk beliefs tied the months to seasonal transitions critical for an agricultural society. The stories helped usher the community through the annual cycle.

Spotlight on the Vivid Origins of April and June

Particular interest are the vivid mythological origins of April and June:

April

April aligns with springtime fertility rituals and bynames include Easter Month and Seedtime. Linked to the goddess Venus and her lover Adonis, April came to embody blossoming, rebirth and showers that brought flowers. The vivid imagery evokes renewal.

June

June’s association with Juno encompassed femininity, marriage, pregnancy, and childbirth. June weddings arose due to breaks in the agricultural cycle. Juno’s divine oversight of committed relationships and nurturing families permeated June’s symbology and activities.

These goddesses defined quintessential female roles as life bearers, nurturers, and companions. Their duties provided existential meaning and comportment models for women in society. The endearing legends bring richer meaning to April showers and June brides.

Insights From the Cultural Significance of Month Names

Contemplating the mythology and symbolism woven into month names provides some perspective on cultures and society:

  • The choice of month names reflects attributes and figures a civilization revered such as Roman gods or bold leaders like Julius Caesar.
  • Before modern convenience, months aligned human activities like marriages, plantings, harvests or military campaigns with seasonal cycles for survival.
  • Mythology’s larger-than-life archetypes presented idealized personality traits and duties, especially for gender and class roles.
  • Associating months with myths lent cosmic significance and otherworldly auspices to annual rites essential for prosperity and continuity.
  • Shared stories, folklore and traditions united people in looking to the broader universe and contemplating their place within the mysteries of nature and the cosmos.

In many ways, defining the annual cycle through mythological month names profoundly influenced ancient civilization. The names still resonate culturally centuries later even as their origins fade from memory.

Do You Know the Origins of Your Birth Month?

After exploring the history encapsulated in month names, consider looking up the etymology of your own birth month. The story behind that particular month may unveil surprising new details or synchronicities about you personally.

For example, as someone born in November, I discovered that it derives from the Latin “novem” meaning nine and originally signified the ninth month. November’s earlier Saxon name was Windmonath denoting the strong winds rolling across the fields and shifting the seasons toward winter. The mythic names embody the cold blustery weather dominating my November birth landscape. These resonate with my temperamental personality!

Researching the backstory of your own birth month creates an intimate connection with history. The months shape our lives while their legendary origins still echo symbolically over the ages.

Conclusion

Our calendar today stands as a timeline documenting civilizations that defined the trajectory of history. The months hold remnants of ancient gods, emperors, numerals and cosmic omens all fused into the measure of our days. Each month’s tale of origin lends it unique texture and meaning. The stories reveal society’s shifting values while also reminding us these artificial divisions arose from nature’s eternal seasonal cycle. As we plan our lives in intervals of months, we follow in the footsteps of ancestors who contemplated the same moon phases and celestial passages ages ago. Perhaps the history hiding within each month name will make you consider the months ahead with newfound curiosity.

Which ancient calendar influenced the modern Gregorian calendar?

The precursor to our current calendar was the Roman lunar calendar that had 10 months starting in March. Additional months were added resulting in the 12 month Julian calendar instituted by Julius Caesar in 45 BC.

What is the significance of the names January and February?

January was named for the two-faced Roman god Janus representing beginnings and transitions. February derived from a Latin word for ritual purification festivals held then.

How did July and August get their names?

Originally Quintilis and Sextilis, these summer months were renamed July and August in honor of Roman leaders Julius Caesar and Augustus Caesar respectively.

What is an interesting folklore tale associated with a month?

April’s showers were mythically ascribed to the tears of the goddess Venus mourning the death of her beloved Adonis. This poetic story connected the spring rains with fertility rituals.