the last month of the year, in which the sun enters the tropic of Capricorn, and makes the winter solstice. In Romulus's year, December was the tenth month, and hence the name is probably composed of decem, ten, and ab vere, from the spring; for the Romans began their year in March. The month of December was under the protection of Vesta. Romulus assigned it thirty days, and Numa reduced it to twenty-nine, but Julius Caesar increased it to thirty-one. Under the reign of Commodus, this month was called, by way of flattery, Amazonius, in honour of a courtezan whom that prince passionately loved, and had got painted like an Amazon; but it only retained the name during that emperor's life. At the latter end of this month were celebrated the ludi juveniles; and the country people kept the feast of the goddess Vacuna in the fields, having then gathered in their fruits and sown their corn, whence seems to be derived our popular festival called harvest-home.