In the 10-month calendar of ancient Rome

Roman calendar

The Roman calendar changed its form several times in the time between the founding of Rome and the fall of the Roman Empire. This article generally discusses the early Roman or pre-Julian calendars...

, Quintilis follows Junius

Junius (month)

Junius was the Latin name for the fourth month in the Roman calendar that was before Quintilis.Iunius, or Junius, is named in honor of the ancient Roman goddess Juno, the wife of Jupiter and considered the patroness of marriage. The first half of Iunius is a period of religious purification, and...

 (the month of June) and precedes Sextilis

Sextilis

Sextilis was the original Latin name for the sixth month in the Roman calendar. It was renamed Augustus in 8 BC in honor of the first Roman emperor, Augustus Caesar, for two reasons...

 (later August). Quintilis is Latin

Latin

Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...

 for "fifth", that is, it was the fifth month (quintilis mensis) in the earliest calendar attributed to Romulus

Romulus

- People:* Romulus and Remus, the mythical founders of Rome* Romulus Augustulus, the last Western Roman Emperor* Valerius Romulus , deified son of the Roman emperor Maxentius* Romulus , son of the Western Roman emperor Anthemius...

, which began with the month of Martius ("Mars' month," or March). After the calendar reform that produced a 12-month year, Quintilis became the seventh month, but retained its name. In 45 BC, Julius Caesar

Julius Caesar

Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....

 instituted a new calendar

Julian calendar

The Julian calendar began in 45 BC as a reform of the Roman calendar by Julius Caesar. It was chosen after consultation with the astronomer Sosigenes of Alexandria and was probably designed to approximate the tropical year .The Julian calendar has a regular year of 365 days divided into 12 months...

 that made up for astronomical discrepancies in the old, and after his death in 44 BC the month of Quintilis, his birth month, was renamed Julius in his honor, hence July. The month name is also attested as Quinctilis.

The following are Latin phrases for the 31 days of Quintilis (or quintilis mensis), numbered as I to XXXI (NP = reform by Numa Pompilius

Numa Pompilius

Numa Pompilius was the legendary second king of Rome, succeeding Romulus. What tales are descended to us about him come from Valerius Antias, an author from the early part of the 1st century BC known through limited mentions of later authors , Dionysius of Halicarnassus circa 60BC-...

):

I

The Kalends

Kalends

The Calends , correspond to the first days of each month of the Roman calendar. The Romans assigned these calends to the first day of the month, signifying the start of the new moon cycle...

 of Quintilis.

This is one of the dies nefasti, a day on which no legal action or public voting could take place.

• On this day, the future Roman Emperor
  Roman Emperor
  The Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office although at any given time, a given title was associated with the emperor...
  
   Gaius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (born 12
  12
  Year 12 was a leap year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Caesar and Capito...
  
  , died 41
  41
  Year 41 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Augustus and Saturninus...
  
  , emperor 37–41) "Caligula
  Caligula
  Caligula , also known as Gaius, was Roman Emperor from 37 AD to 41 AD. Caligula was a member of the house of rulers conventionally known as the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Caligula's father Germanicus, the nephew and adopted son of Emperor Tiberius, was a very successful general and one of Rome's most...
  
  " was named consul
  Consul
  Consul was the highest elected office of the Roman Republic and an appointive office under the Empire. The title was also used in other city states and also revived in modern states, notably in the First French Republic...
  
   by the Roman Senate
  Roman Senate
  The Senate of the Roman Republic was a political institution in the ancient Roman Republic, however, it was not an elected body, but one whose members were appointed by the consuls, and later by the censors. After a magistrate served his term in office, it usually was followed with automatic...
  
   in 31
  31
  Year 31 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Augustus and Seianus...
  
  .
• Vespasian
  Vespasian
  Vespasian , was Roman Emperor from 69 AD to 79 AD. Vespasian was the founder of the Flavian dynasty, which ruled the Empire for a quarter century. Vespasian was descended from a family of equestrians, who rose into the senatorial rank under the Emperors of the Julio-Claudian dynasty...
  
   was declared emperor this day in 69
  69
  Year 69 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Augustus and Rufinus...
  
  . He was granted tribunicia potestas
  Tribune
  Tribune was a title shared by elected officials in the Roman Republic. Tribunes had the power to convene the Plebeian Council and to act as its president, which also gave them the right to propose legislation before it. They were sacrosanct, in the sense that any assault on their person was...
  
  ("tribunician power") and these were renewed annually.

II

ante diem VI Nonas Quintilis (Sixth day to the Nones of Quintilis).

This is one of the dies nefasti, a day on which no legal action or public voting could take place.

III

ante diem V Nonas Quintilis (Fifth day to the Nones of Quintilis).

This is one of the dies nefasti, a day on which no legal action or public voting could take place.

IV

ante diem IV Nonas Quintilis (Fourth day to the Nones of Quintilis).

This is one of the dies nefasti, a day on which no legal action or public voting could take place.

VI

pridie Nonas (Day before the Nones).

This is one of the dies nefasti, a day on which no legal action or public voting could take place.

VII

Nonas Quintilis (The Nones of Quintilis).

This is one of the dies nefasti, a day on which no legal action or public voting could take place.

• This day is the Nonae Caprotinae, or the fig
  Ficus
  Ficus is a genus of about 850 species of woody trees, shrubs, vines, epiphytes, and hemiepiphyte in the family Moraceae. Collectively known as fig trees or figs, they are native throughout the tropics with a few species extending into the semi-warm temperate zone. The Common Fig Ficus is a genus of...
  
   Festival
  Festival
  A festival or gala is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on and celebrates some unique aspect of that community and the Festival....
  
  .
• On this day, the rex sacrorum
  Rex Sacrorum
  In ancient Roman religion, the rex sacrorum was a senatorial priesthood reserved for patricians. Although in the historical era the pontifex maximus was the head of Roman state religion, Festus says that in the ranking of priests, the rex sacrorum was of highest prestige, followed by the flamines...
  
   would appear on the steps of the Capitoline Hill and announce what days of the months were holidays for the upcoming year.

VIII

The Vitulatio or Day of Joy. It is a day of celebration honoring Vitula, the goddess of joy and victory.

This is one of the dies nefasti, a day on which no legal action or public voting could take place.

IX

The Vitulatio or Day of Joy. It is a day of celebration honoring Vitula, the goddess of joy and victory.

This is one of the dies nefasti, a day on which no legal action or public voting could take place.

X

ante diem VI Idus Quintilis (Sixth day to the Ides of Quintilis).

This is one of the dies comitiales (C), when citizen committees could vote on criminal or political matters.

XI

ante diem V Idus Quintilis (Fifth day to the Ides of Quintilis).

This is one of the dies comitiales (C), when citizen committees could vote on criminal or political matters.

XII

ante diem IV Idus Quintilis (Fourth day to the Ides of Quintilis).

This is one of the dies comitiales (C), when citizen committees could vote on criminal or political matters.

XIII

ante diem III Idus Quintilis (Third day to the Ides of Quintilis).

This is one of the dies comitiales (C), when citizen committees could vote on criminal or political matters.

XIV

pridie Idus (Day before the Ides).

This is one of the dies comitiales (C), when citizen committees could vote on criminal or political matters.

XV

idus Quintilis (Ides

Ides

Ides may refer to:* Ides , a day in the Roman calendar that marked the approximate middle of the month* Specifically, Ides of March* Ides, a being in Germanic paganism* Saint Ides, an Irish saint...

 of Quintilis).

This day (NP) represented some important type of religious observance.

XVI

ante diem XVII Kalendas Sextilis (Seventeenth day to the Kalends of Sextilis).

This is one of the dies comitiales (C), when citizen committees could vote on criminal or political matters.

XVII

ante diem XVI Kalendas Sextilis (Sixteenth day to the Kalends of Sextilis).

This is one of the dies nefasti, a day on which no legal action or public voting could take place.

XVIII

Dies Alliensis.

This is one of the dies comitiales (C), when citizen committees could vote on criminal or political matters.

XIX

The Lucaria

Lucaria

In ancient Roman religion, the Lucaria was a festival of the grove held July 19 and 21. The original meaning of the ritual was obscure by the time of Varro , who omits it in his list of festivals...

.

This is one of the dies comitiales (C), when citizen committees could vote on criminal or political matters.

XX

ante diem XIII Kalendas Sextilis (Thirteenth day to the Kalends of Sextilis).

This is one of the dies comitiales (C), when citizen committees could vote on criminal or political matters.

XXII

ante diem XI Kalendas Sextilis (Eleventh day to the Kalends of Sextilis).

This day (NP), represented some important type of religious observance.

XXIII

The Neptunalia.

This is one of the dies comitiales (C), when citizen committees could vote on criminal or political matters.

XXIV

The Neptunalia.

This is one of the dies nefasti, a day on which no legal action or public voting could take place.

XXV

The Furrinalia.

This is one of the dies nefasti, a day on which no legal action or public voting could take place.

XXVI

ante diem VII Kalendas Sextilis (Seventh day to the Kalends of Sextilis).

This day (NP), represented some important type of religious observance.

XXVII

ante diem VI Kalendas Sextilis (Sixth day to the Kalends of Sextilis).

This day (NP), represented some important type of religious observance.

XXVIII

ante diem V Kalendas Sextilis (Fifth day to the Kalends of Sextilis).

This is one of the dies comitiales (C), when citizen committees could vote on criminal or political matters.

XXIX

ante diem IV Kalendas Sextilis (Fourth day to the Kalends of Sextilis).

This is one of the dies comitiales (C), when citizen committees could vote on criminal or political matters.

XXX

ante diem III Kalendas Sextilis (Third day to the Kalends of Sextilis).

This is one of the dies comitiales (C), when citizen committees could vote on criminal or political matters.

XXXI

pridie Kalendas Sextilis (Day before the Kalends of Sextilis).

This is one of the dies comitiales (C), when citizen committees could vote on criminal or political matters.

See also

• Month names: Martius, Aprilis, Maius, Junius
  Junius (month)
  Junius was the Latin name for the fourth month in the Roman calendar that was before Quintilis.Iunius, or Junius, is named in honor of the ancient Roman goddess Juno, the wife of Jupiter and considered the patroness of marriage. The first half of Iunius is a period of religious purification, and...
  
  , Sextilis
  Sextilis
  Sextilis was the original Latin name for the sixth month in the Roman calendar. It was renamed Augustus in 8 BC in honor of the first Roman emperor, Augustus Caesar, for two reasons...
  
  , Septembris, Octobris, Novembris, Decembris.
• Leap month: Mercedonius
  Mercedonius
  Mercedonius, also known as Intercalaris, was the intercalary month added in leap years of the Roman calendar. The resulting year was either 377 or 378 days long. The exact mechanism by which this was done is not clearly specified in ancient sources. Modern scholarship holds that Februarius was...
  
   or Intercalaris.