Why September through December have Latin number prefixes that don't match their positions

[symbolipoint]

While hoping to learn about how and why September, October, November, and December do not correspond the the latin number prefixs, and trying to read the Wikipedia articles, I found information about the differences and addition of January and February, but all the information is still very confusing. I hoped to write something clear and understandable in the *T.I.L. section of the forum. I am simply giving a general comment here instead.

The original (if it was) Roman calendar started with March. Jan. and Feb. were added later to help account for Winter time. Still very confusing. I give no references.

(* Today I Learned)

 

[Frabjous]

My understanding is that January became the beginning of the consular year in 153 during the conquest of Spain.
Consuls took up their positions at the start of the year. Spain was so far away that the Consular armies would not be in place in time for the start of the campaign season with the March start date.

 

[256bits]

While hoping to learn about how and why September, October, November, and December do not correspond the the latin number prefixs

This I do not understand why you say this.
September, October, November, and December prefixes correspond to 7, 8, 9, 10 in Latin, representing the 7th to 10th month in the 10 month long Roman calendar before Julius.

 

[symbolipoint]

This I do not understand why you say this.
September, October, November, and December prefixes correspond to 7, 8, 9, 10 in Latin, representing the 7th to 10th month in the 10 month long Roman calendar before Julius.

I already explained. You simply confirmed it. Roman Calendar was more or less first. I did not know this. Roman started with the prefixes corresponding. Julian Calendar changed the positions, so no longer corresponding. All the other and associated details are confusing.

 

[256bits]

I already explained. You simply confirmed it. Roman Calendar was more or less first. I did not know this. Roman started with the prefixes corresponding. Julian Calendar changed the positions, so no longer corresponding. All the other and associated details are confusing.

Well good luck in figuring it all out, as you will be wading through legend, scant historical records, personal opinions and interpretations of historians, past and present,

Was there even was a Roman calendar before Pompilius ( Romulus may have just followed local tradition of watching the moon and the seasons, and the coming of the spring following the winter ).

Numa Pompilius, second king of Rome added the 2 months January, February to the Roman calendar, so people could have 'dates' to follow during the otherwise monthless winter. March, I would suspect to still be the beginning of the year, budding of trees and planting crops and all that stuff happening in the spring, based on lunar cycles rather than the annual, plus some religious aspects which one doesn't want to mess with and upset the people, thrown in there.

How and when January became the time of the new year to screw up the month counting is a good question. That happened definitely before Julius, who formalized a better solar calendar that had less being out of step with the seasons as the years went by than previous calendar results, which was still based on the lunar. The change from March to January as the beginning of the new year is Consul related, or vice-versa, so something to look into.

Btw the fifth and sixth months of the old Roman calendar ( our 7th and 8th month Gregorian calendar months ) are named after Julius and Augustin.