Expert: Maria - 10/24/2008

Question
can you translate the date 10th october 1989

Answer
Hello,

the date 10th October 1989 translates as follows:

"A.D. VI  ID. OCT. MCMLXXXIX ".
(shortened date)

"Ante diem sextum Idus Octobres anno millesimo nongentesimo octogesimo nono post Christum natum".
(full date,  meaning  “the 6th day before the Ides of October in the year 1989 after the birth of Christ”).

See below for learning more.

Best regards,
Maria
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Note that  in the Roman calendar only three days  of each month had specific names.
Here are these special dates:

-Kalends (Latin KALENDAE) which fell always on the 1st. day  of each month.

-Nones  (Latin NONAE) which fell usually on the 5th day of a month, except March, May, July and October, when they fell on the 7th.

-Ides (Latin IDUS ) which fell usually on the 13th of each month, except March, May, July  and October, when they fell on the 15th.

If it was none of these special days, the Romans counted how many days  there were before the next special day.

For example, the date 10th October corresponds to 6 days before the Ides, i.e. before the date 15th October, since the Romans used an inclusive counting and  then counted every day from 10th October to  15th (Ides),  i.e. 10th-11th-12th-13th-14th-15th.

Finally, when the date was the day before or after  the Kalends, Nones and Ides, the Romans  used the preposition ‘pridie’ (meaning “the day before” ) or “postridie” (meaning “the day after”) followed by the accusative case.

For example “Pridie Idus Octobres” for the date 14th October, as the 14th was the day before the Ides which fell on the 15th  October.