(by "the year 153" I mean 153 BCE...)

In the United States, it is customary to say them in the order "spring, summer, fall, winter."

In the ancient Roman calendar, March was the first month... and thus SEPT-ember was the seventh, OCT-ober was the eighth, NOV-ember was the nineth, and DEC-ember was the tenth. I always have trouble writing the date in September because I desperately want to write 7 instead of 9.

I've forgotten how the start of the year shifted to January. 

OK, it is explained here:

http://www.infoplease.com/spot/newyearhistory.html

It was moved to January in the year 153 "because that was the beginning of the civil year, the month that the two newly elected Roman consuls—the highest officials in the Roman republic—began their one-year tenure." 

Spring is symbolic for "new life" as Winter is symbolic for "death".

In spring, baby animals are born, flowers bloom and life begins. This continues through summer and then when fall comes the leaves fall off the trees. It is the end of the cycle and then in the Spring it will begin again :)

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter 

My order is the same: Spring, Summer, Autumn and then Winter :D

Because Spring is the first season of a year in my country.

However, I live in the North so we almost only have Summer and Winter.