Collier's New Encyclopedia

A complete general encyclopedia of 1921 — the world as it was understood just after the Great War, from Aachen to Zwingli, across twelve volumes and six thousand pages.

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December

the last month of the year in the old Roman calendar, before the time of Julius Cæsar, the year began with March, and that which is now the 12th was then the 10th month; hence the name (decem "10"). Our Saxon ancesters called it Mindwinter - month and Yule-month.

DECEMVIR (de-sem'ver), one of a body of 10 magistrates, in whom was vested the sole government of Rome for a period of two years, from 449 B. C. to 447 в. c. The brutal and licentious conduct of one of the number, Appius Claudius, caused their downfall in the latter year.

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