GNU Webster's 1913 - The calendar of the ancient Romans, from
which our modern calendars are derived. It is said to have
consisted originally of ten months, Martius, Aprilis, Maius,
Junius, Quintilis, Sextilis, September, October, November, and
December, having a total of 304 days. Numa added two months,
Januariusat the beginning of the year, and Februariusat the end,
making in all 355 days. He also ordered an intercalary month,
Mercedinus, to be inserted every second year. Later the order of
the months was changed so that January should come before
February. Through abuse of power by the pontiffs to whose care
it was committed, this calendar fell into confusion. It was
replaced by the Julian calendar. In designating the days of the
month, the Romans reckoned backward from three fixed points, the
calends, the nones, and the ides. The calends were always the
first day of the month. The ides fell on the 15th in March, May,
July (Quintilis), and October, and on the 13th in other months.
The nones came on the eig