Are you surprised by the title of the headline? It’s the truth, March was not always the third month, and below are details of its unfortunate demotion.
Where Did the Name Come From?
The name for March comes from the Latin word, Martius, the first month of the earliest Roman calendar. It was named for Mars, the Roman god of war who was also regarded as a guardian of agriculture, and an ancestor of the Roman people through his sons Romulus and Remus.
His month, Martius, was the beginning of the season for both farming and warfare, and the festivals held in his honour during the month were similar to those held in October when the season for these activities came to a close.
March remained the first month of the Roman calendar year perhaps till as late as 153 BC, when it was replaced with January. It should be noted though that writers disagree on the period of conversion, with some putting the time period as early as 450 BC.
Read More: What Has January Got in Common with Two-Faced Janus?
Several religious observations in the first half of the month were originally New Year celebrations. Even in late antiquity, Roman sculptures and inscriptions picturing the months sometimes still placed March first.
Read More: Beware the IDES OF MARCH! Why? And What Is It Exactly?
March 1 began the year in Russia until the end of the 15th century (1401-1500 CE). Great Britain and its colonies continued to use March 25 as the first day of the year until 1752, when they finally adopted the Gregorian calendar, in which January 1 was observed as New Year’s Day.
This conversion from the old Roman calendar to the new Gregorian calendar would result in the loss of 11 days for residents of Great Britain and its colonies!
Read More: What Happened in the Year Our Calendar Lost 11 Days?
Many other cultures and religions though, still celebrate the beginning of the New Year in March.
And that’s all the gist about Martius or March (which ever suits you!)
