Months of the year

The twelve months of the year, as we know them, derive from the Julian calendar named after Julius Caesar who reformed the Roman calendar in 46 BC January is named after Janus, a Roman deity who protected entrances and gateways, hence the entrance or start of the year. February is named after Februa, the Roman festival of purification, which was always held in February. March is named after Mars the Roman god of war. March was always the month when wars were resumed, after the winter lay-off. April is named after Aphrodite, from the Etruscan Apru, which was an abbreviation of the Greek, Aphrodite. May is named after the Roman goddess of spring, Maia. June is named after the goddess Juno, wife of Jupiter. July is named after Julius Caesar. He reformed the calendar and included a month named after him, as did his son, Augustus, who completed the calendar reform by re-naming the sixth month, August, after himself. The remaining months, September, October, November and December are named after the Latin numbers, septem, octo, novem, decem, seven, eight, nine and ten respectively because the previous Roman calendar, before the Julian, consisted of only ten months.