The primacy of Mars in the early Roman pantheon can be seen in the position occupied by March, the month named for him, in the Roman calendar. That March was originally the first month is deducible from the names of other months, particularly September through December which are numbered seven (septem), eight (octo), nine (novem) and ten (decem). Counting backwards, then, March is first. July and August were originally called Quinctilis and Sextilis, but after the establishment of the Empire they were renamed for Julius and Augustus Caesar.