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
December (Roman month) fixed points of the month: the Nones (5th or 7th), the Ides (13th or 15th), and the Kalends (1st) of the following month. The Nones of December was the 5th, and the Ides the 13th. The last day of December was the "pridie Kalendas Ianuarias," "day before the Januarian Kalends". Roman counting was inclusive; December 9 was "ante diem V Idūs Decembrīs", "the 5th day before the Ides of December," usually abbreviated "a.d. V Id. Dec." (or with the "a.d." omitted altogether); December 24 was "IX Kal. Ian.", "the 9th day before the Kalends of Ianuarius," on the Julian calendar