🗓️ Months of the Year
| Creation Months | Palestinian (Canaanite) |
Babylonian | Classic Roman (Olden) |
Gregorian (Modern) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Exodus 12:2 1 Chronicles 27:2 Ezra 7:9 |
Abib (Aviv)
Exodus 13:4; 23:15; 34:18; Deuteronomy 16:1 |
Nisan
Esther 3:7 Nehemiah 2:1 |
Martius (the war god Mars) | March (Spring) |
| 2 |
Genesis 7:11 1 Chronicles 27:4 | Ziv (Sif) 1 Kings 6:1 | Iyar (Ijar) | Aprilis derived from aperio, aperire, apertus, a verb meaning "to open" | April |
| 3 |
Exodus 19:1 1 Chronicles 27:5 |
Sivan (Siwan) Esther 8:9 | Maius (Maia; goddess of growth) | May (Summer) | |
| 4 |
2 Kings 25:3 1 Chronicles 27:7 |
Tammuz (Tammus) Zechariah 8:19 |
Iunius (also Junius)
Goddess Juno - protector and special councellor to the state. Goddess Juventas - youth and rejuvenation. |
June Marcus Iunius Brutus, a member of the gens Iunia (1st Roman Consul). | |
| 5 |
Numbers 33:38 1 Chronicles 27:8 Esra 7:9 |
Av (Ab) Ezra 7:9 |
Quinctilis/Quintilis
(fifth month) (Quintilis Mensis) In the earliest calendar attributed to Romulus (First King of Rome) |
July Emperor Gaius Julius's Birthday month | |
| 6 |
1 Chronicles 27:9 Haggai 1:1 |
Elul Nehemiah 6:15 |
Sextilis / Augustus
(sixth month) (1st Roman emperor - originally Gaius Octavius) |
August | |
| 7 |
Genesis 8:4 1 Chronicles 27:10 |
Ethanim (Etanim) 1 Kings 8:2 | Tishrei (Tisri) |
September
(septem; seven) Seventh Month |
September (Autumn) |
| 8 |
1 Kings 12:32 1 Chronicles 27:11 Zechariah 1:1 |
Bul 1 Kings 6:38 | Marheshvan (Margeswan) |
October
(octo; eight) Eighth Month |
October |
| 9 |
1 Chronicles 27:12 Ezra 10:9,13 Jeremiah 36:9,22 |
Kislev (Kislef)
Nehemiah 1:1 Zechariah 7:1 |
November
(novem; nine) Ninth month |
November (Winter) | |
| 10 |
Genesis 8:5 1 Chronicles 27:13 |
Tevet (Tebet) Esther 2:16 |
December
(decem; ten) Tenth Month |
December (rain & cold) | |
| 11 |
Deuteronomy 1:3 1 Chronicles 27:14 |
Shebat (Sebat) Zechariah 1:7 | Ianuarius (Janus; two-faced god) | January | |
| 12 | 1 Chronicles 27:15 | Adar Esther 3:7 | Februarius (festival of purification called Februa) | February | |
Old Roman Calendar:
- ♦️ Originally had a 10-month year of 304 days, starting in March.
The Romans seem to have ignored the remaining 61 days, which fell in the middle of winter. - ♦️ The numerical names for months: Sextilis (6th), Septem[ber] (7th), Octo[ber] (8th), Novem[ber] (9th), Decem[ber] (10th, think decimal = 10) shifted when King Numa Pompilius (Second King of Rome, before it became a Republic) added January and February to the beginning of the year (around 713 BCE).
Julian Calendar:
- ♦️ Establishment: Initiated in 46 BC to replace the chaotic Roman lunar calendar, taking effect in 45 BC by Emperor Julius Caesar.
- ♦️ Structure: It adopted a 12-month, 365-day year, with leap years added every four years.
- ♦️ The Drift: Because the actual solar year is roughly 11 minutes less than 365.25 days, the Julian calendar was over-correcting, drifting by roughly one day every 128 years.
- ♦️ Usage Today: While largely replaced, some Eastern Orthodox churches still use it for setting fixed religious dates (e.g., celebrating Christmas on January 7).
Gregorian Calendar:
- ♦️ Was developed by the German mathematician Christopher Clavius (1538–1612).
- ♦️ By 1582, the Julian calendar was 10 days out of sync with the seasons, prompting Pope Gregory XIII to introduce the more accurate Gregorian calendar.
- ♦️ By 1752, when England adopted this calendar, the difference between the Julian and Gregorian calendars was already 11 days.
Julian vs. Gregorian Calendar Differences:
- ♦️ Leap Year Rules: The Julian calendar makes every fourth year a leap year. The Gregorian calendar excludes centenary years (like 1700, 1800) unless divisible by 400.
- ♦️ Timing Difference: As of 1582, the Julian calendar was 10 days behind, a gap that has grown to 13 days in the 20th and 21st centuries.
How then did the 'New Year' move to January?:
- ♦️ In the pre-Julian Roman Republican calendar, the new year began on 1 March. This was the traditional start of the Roman year, tied to the structure of their lunisolar calendar (which included occasional intercalary months).
- ♦️ In 46 BC, Julius Caesar introduced the Julian calendar reform. To correct long-standing drift and align the calendar with the solar year, he extended 46 BC to a record 445 days (known as the “last year of confusion”). This adjustment bridged the period from the old New Year’s Day (1 March 46 BC) to the new start date: 1 January.
- ♦️ The reformed Julian calendar officially took effect on 1 January 45 BC, permanently moving the beginning of the year to January. This change also aligned the calendar year with the consular year, which had begun on 1 January since 153 BC.
"25He will speak against the Most High and oppress His holy people and try to change the set times and the laws. The holy people will be delivered into his hands for a time, times and half a time."
— Daniel 7:25
Further Reading: See this Wikipedia Article to see what complication and confusion the Julian Calendar caused through history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_calendar