In keeping with our tradition of finding out how months got their names, we will be taking a look at the month of July on this seventh day of this seventh month.
The Seventh Month
July is the seventh month of the year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars, and one of seven months with a length of 31 days. It was named by the Roman Senate in honour of the Roman general, Julius Caesar, being the month of his birth. Prior to that, it was called Quintilis, and was the fifth month of the Julian calendar.
Julius Caesar was a Roman general, statesman, and historian who conquered Gaul (what is now part of present day Italy, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands), changed the structure of the Roman government into a dictatorship, was assassinated in legendary fashion, and was responsible for the creation of the Julian calendar.
The Julian calendar was the predecessor of the Gregorian calendar which is still in use till date. His calendar is responsible for the year as we know it today, having 365 days, and a leap year every four years.
Quick Facts
- Larkspur or the Water Lily is the month’s birth flower
- The birthstone for July is the ruby, which symbolises contentment.
- Another of Julius Caesar’s legacies is the C-section. The Caesarian section is an operation by which a foetus is taken from the uterus by cutting through the walls of the abdomen and uterus. It is thought that Julius Caesar himself was born in this way.
See Also: What Happened in the Year Our Calendar Lost 11 Days?
