Roman calendar

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

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Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/roman-calendar

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the early calendar basis?Lunar cycles, with Kalends, Nones, and Ides likely corresponding to moon phases
2. What is the key reformer?Julius Caesar, who introduced the Julian calendar in 46 BC
3. What did the earliest Roman calendar look like?The first Roman calendar had ten months that started in spring with March. Winter was a gap with no months, and the months had 30 or 31 days.
4. Who added January and February to the Roman calendar?Numa Pompilius, Rome's second king, added January and February to fill the winter gap and make a twelve‑month year.

Nundinal Cycle: An eight-day cycle in the early Roman calendar, comprising market days and religious observances.
Intercalation: The practice of inserting extra days or months into a calendar to synchronize it with astronomical or seasonal cycles.
Pontifex Maximus: The chief high priest of ancient Rome, who held significant authority over the calendar's administration.