December (Roman month) December (Roman month) December (from Latin "decem", "ten") or mensis December was originally the tenth month of the Roman calendar, following November ("novem", "nine") and preceding Ianuarius. It had 29 days. When the calendar was reformed to create a 12-month year starting in Ianuarius, December became the twelfth month, but retained its name, as did the other numbered months from Quintilis (July) through December. Its length was increased to 31 days under the Julian calendar reform. The Romans did not number days of a month sequentially from the first day through the last. Instead, they counted back from the three
Iunius (month) Iunius (month) On the ancient Roman calendar, mensis Iunius or Iunius, also Junius (June), was the fourth month, following "Maius" (May). In the oldest calendar attributed by the Romans to Romulus, "Iunius" was the fourth month in a ten-month year that began with March "(Martius," "Mars' month"). The month following June was thus called "Quinctilis" or "Quintilis", the "fifth" month. "Iunius" had 29 days until a day was added during the Julian reform of the calendar in the mid-40s BC. The month that followed "Iunius" was renamed "Iulius" (July) in honour of Julius Caesar. In his poem on the Roman