August

August is the eighth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars, and the fifth of seven months to have a length of 31 days.  It was originally named Sextilis in Latin because it was the sixth month in the original ten-month Roman calendar under Romulus in 753 BC, and March was the first month of the year.

About 700 BC, it became the eighth month when January and February were added to the year before March by King Numa Pompilius, who also gave it 29 days. Julius Caesar added two days when he created the Julian calendar in 46 BC (708 AUC), giving it its modern length of 31 days.

1024px-Statue-Augustus

Augustus von Prima Porta (20-17 v. Chr.), aus der Villa Livia in Prima Porta, 1863.image: Till Niermann/wikipedia

 In 8 BC, it was renamed in honor of Augustus. According to a Senatus consultum quoted by Macrobius, he chose this month because it was the time of several of his great triumphs, including the conquest of Egypt.


cultural symbols of august

August's birthstones are the peridot, sardonyx, and spinel.

Its birth flower is the gladiolus or poppy, meaning beauty, strength of character, love, marriage and family.

The Western zodiac signs for the month of August are Leo (until August 22) and Virgo (from August 23 onwards).

In the Southern Hemisphere, 

August is the seasonal equivalent of February in the Northern Hemisphere.

Holiday time

In many European countries, August is the holiday month for most workers. Numerous religious holidays occurred during August in ancient Rome.

Meteor showers

Certain meteor showers take place in August. The Kappa Cygnids take place in August, with the dates varying each year. The Alpha Capricornids meteor shower takes place as early as July 10 and ends at around August 10, and the Southern Delta Aquariids take place from mid-July to mid-August, with the peak usually around July 28–29. The Perseids, a major meteor shower, typically takes place between July 17 and August 24, with the days of the peak varying yearly. The star cluster of Messier 30 is best observed around August.


Among the aborigines of the Canary Islands, especially among the Guanches of Tenerife, the month of August received in the name of Beñesmer or Beñesmen, which was also the harvest festival held this month.


Source adapted from: Wikipedia contributors. (2018, July 23). August. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 06:41, August 1, 2018, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=August&oldid=851614579