sextilis

Sextilis was the Latin name for the sixth month of the ancient Roman calendar. The word is derived from Latin sextilis, meaning "sixth." In the pre-Julian calendar, the year began in March, and Sextilis occupied the middle of summer, roughly corresponding to parts of July and August.

During the late Republic and early Empire, Roman calendar months were renamed to honor prominent leaders. In 44 BCE the month Quintilis was renamed July (Iulius) after Julius Caesar. In 8 BCE, Sextilis was renamed August (Augustus) in honor of Emperor Augustus. The renaming reflected the imperial practice of commemorating rulers by calendar names and the prestige of Augustus’s reign.

In the modern Gregorian calendar, Sextilis is not used; its position and length helped determine August, which today has 31 days. Some traditional accounts say Augustus arranged for his month to have 31 days to match July, but historical evidence on this adjustment is unclear.

Sextilis is primarily of historical and literary interest, appearing in classical texts and discussions of Roman timekeeping. It is used in scholarly contexts when describing ancient calendars or Julius Caesar and Augustus’s reforms.