Latin Dates
Latin dates were written differently from modern calendar systems. Instead of numbering days sequentially from the beginning of the month, the Romans counted backward from three fixed points in each month.
These three reference points were:
| Latin | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Kalendae (Kalends) | first day of the month |
| Nonae (Nones) | usually the 5th day of the month |
| Idus (Ides) | usually the 13th day of the month |
Roman dates were commonly written using these reference points.
Example:
ante diem III Idus Martias
Meaning:
three days before the Ides of March
Months in Latin
Latin month names are the origin of many modern month names used in English and other European languages.
| Month | Latin |
|---|---|
| January | Ianuarius |
| February | Februarius |
| March | Martius |
| April | Aprilis |
| May | Maius |
| June | Iunius |
| July | Iulius |
| August | Augustus |
| September | September |
| October | October |
| November | November |
| December | December |
Example:
Idus Martiae
Meaning:
the Ides of March
Days of the Week in Latin
The Latin names for days of the week are based on Roman gods and celestial bodies. Many modern European languages derive their weekday names from these Latin terms.
| Day | Latin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Dies Lunae | day of the Moon |
| Tuesday | Dies Martis | day of Mars |
| Wednesday | Dies Mercurii | day of Mercury |
| Thursday | Dies Iovis | day of Jupiter |
| Friday | Dies Veneris | day of Venus |
| Saturday | Dies Saturni | day of Saturn |
| Sunday | Dies Solis | day of the Sun |
Example:
Dies Lunae
Meaning:
Monday
Roman Calendar Reference Days
The Roman system counted days backward from three reference points.
| Reference Day | Typical Date |
|---|---|
| Kalendae | 1st day of the month |
| Nonae | 5th day (or 7th in March, May, July, October) |
| Idus | 13th day (or 15th in March, May, July, October) |
Example:
Idus Martiae
Meaning:
March 15
This date became famous as the day Julius Caesar was assassinated in 44 BCE.
Writing Dates in Latin
Dates were often written using the phrase ante diem meaning “before the day.”
Example:
ante diem IV Kalendas Apriles
Meaning:
four days before the Kalends of April
Roman counting included the target day in the calculation, which is known as inclusive counting.
Asking for the Date in Latin
Classical Latin did not have a single standard phrase for asking today’s date, but a question could be phrased like this:
Quae dies est hodie?
Meaning:
What day is today?
Example response:
Hodie est dies Lunae.
Meaning:
Today is Monday.
Practice Latin Dates
You can practice Latin numbers and date expressions using the interactive tools below.
Translate Tool
Test Your Knowledge. Take the Latin Numbers Quiz
Related Latin Pages
Further reference: Omniglot numbers in Latin.