Roman Dates

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Dates were often recorded in the Roman manner during the middle ages. The style, rather than the calendar used in ancient Rome, is displayed in Calisto and described here.

Each Roman month had days named Kalends, Nones and Ides. The days of the Roman month were numbered by counting inclusively backwards from each of these, as shown below. Roman numerals were generally used. Extracts are given below to illustrate how this works (a full table is available). The day before these special days is usually expressed pridie (the day before) - pridie kalendis februarias abbreviated Prid Kal Feb or sometimes II Kal Feb. Other days are expressed in full as in this example ante diem tertium kalendis februarias abbreviated a.d. III Kal Feb or III Kal Feb.

Kalendae (Kal) - the first day of the Roman month was called the Kalends, so called because at the beginning of each month the days of coming month were proclaimed, from Latin calare  = to announce. Thus the days at the end of January:

Nonae (Non) - the seventh day of March, May, July and October and the fifth day of the other months. From Latin nonus ninth, ie ninth day before Ides. Thus the days at the start of February:

Idus (Id) - the 15th day of March, May, July and October and the 13th day of the other months. The days before the Ides were numbered thus:

Leap years were created by the addition of an extra day, not at the end of February as we do, but after the Roman feast of the Terminalia 23 February. This extra day was called bis sextum  kalendis martias; this placed it before VI Kal Mar although occasionally some authorities place after VI Kal Mar.

For non-leap years

For leap years