PART ONE. The evil Rome as the real and the real false prophet revealed to me by our Lord Jesus Christ

Nones – Always occured nine days before the Ides, on either the 5th or 7th of the month, depending on the length of the month. It was representative of the moon reaching its first quarter phase. As it was the duty of the Pontifex Maximus to assign these days, he would, after viewing the moon, assign how long it would take for the next phase to begin. If, on the day after the Kalends, he determined that it would be 5 days until the new crescent moon would appear, the day would then be referred to as the 5th day before Nones.

The Julian Calendar

During the Late Republic, social disorder, political strife and an ongoing series of civil wars left the maintenance of the calendar in complete disarray. By the time Julius Caesar consolidated his power in 46 BC, the calendar months were off by as much as several months in comparison to the seasons.

Fortunately, while Caesar was in Alexandria, Egypt, he had access to the ancient world’s foremost astronomy experts. The Egyptians were able to calculate the length of the actual solar year as 365.25 days and the winter solstice as December 24.

While the Egyptians did the work, Caesar was the one who both authorized and implemented its use, thereby receiving the credit. Regardless, its accuracy at the time it was developed was remarkable, and only a millennium of a slight annual difference would eventually accumulate. The new Julian Calendar would follow the solar year, rather than lunar, with a total of 365 days vs. 355. The intercalary month was eliminated and the leap year, adding a day to February every 4th year was adopted as well. In 46 BC, the calendar had to be set right before the new one could begin. A total of 3 intercalary months were inserted prior to the start of the new year. 46 BC, therefore, or 707 AUC to the Romans, was fifteen months and about 445 days long according to the calendar.

The fifth month, Quintilis, was renamed Julius (July) in honour of Julius Caesar. Likewise, Sextilis was changed in 8 BC in honour of his heir and eventual first Emperor, Augustus, changing it to the name we now know as August. This basic transformation has essentially remained intact for two millennia and represents the foundation of the western calendar still in use today.