| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
August is the 8thmonth of theyear in theGregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31days.
This month was originally namedSextilis inLatin, because it was the sixth month in the ancientRoman calendar, which started in March about 735 BC underRomulus. It became the eighth month either when January and February were added to the beginning of the year by KingNuma Pompilius about 700 BC or when those two months were moved from the end to the beginning of the year by thedecemvirs about 450 BC (Roman writers disagree). It was renamed in honor ofAugustus in 8 BC because several of the most significant events in his rise to power, culminating in the fall of Alexandria, which fell in this month. Lore claims August originally had 29 days in theRoman Republican calendar. Augustus took two days from February and gave it to August when Sextilis was renamed in his honor. SeeMonth lengths how this commonly believed lore was proven wrong.
August'sflower is thegladiolus orpoppy, and itsbirthstone is theperidot.
