March: The first month of the early Roman calendars

[guy]

An interesting article indicates that the new year began in the earliest Roman calendar in March. 

 

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The Roman calendar, attributed to Romulus, the legendary founder of Rome, was primarily influenced by lunar cycles and agricultural events. In this ancient calendar, March emerged as the inaugural month, embodying the rebirth and renewal associated with the arrival of spring. Named after Mars, the Roman god of war, March was imbued with both military and agricultural symbolism, reflecting the importance of these aspects in Roman society.

 

 

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March: The First Month

In this early calendar, March marked the beginning of the year, a choice that aligns with the natural cycle of growth and revival that spring brings. The name "March" itself is derived from the Latin word "Martius," which pays homage to Mars. This god was not only revered as a deity of war but also as a guardian of agriculture, further solidifying the choice of March as the first month. As the season of planting and growth, March was a time of optimism and anticipation in the Roman world.

 

 

https://www.thearchaeologist.org/blog/march-the-beginnings-of-time-in-the-roman-calendar

 

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The name of March comes from Martius, the first month of the earliest Roman calendar. It was named after Mars, the Roman god of war, and an ancestor of the Roman people through his sons Romulus and Remus. His month Martius was the beginning of the season for warfare, and the festivals held in his honor during the month were mirrored by others in October, when the season for these activities came to a close. Martius remained the first month of the Roman calendar year perhaps as late as 153 BC, and several religious observances in the first half of the month were originally new year's celebrations. Even in late antiquity, Roman mosaics picturing the months sometimes still placed March first.

 

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Traditionally, the original Roman calendar consisted of 10 months totaling 304 days, winter being considered a month-less period. Around 713 BC, the semi-mythical successor of Romulus, King Numa Pompilius, is supposed to have added the months of January and February, so that the calendar covered a standard lunar year (354 days). Although March was originally the first month in the old Roman calendar, January became the first month of the calendar year either under Numa or under the Decemvirs about 450 BC (Roman writers differ). In contrast, each specific calendar year was identified by the names of the two consuls, who entered office on March 15 until 153 BC, at which point they started entering office on January 1.

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/March

 

January - Wikipedia

 

Edited January 2 by guy

[guidoLaMoto]

It makes more sense to have the new year start with spring- the beginning of the new growing season.....IIRC, our years in the west began with March (? Spring equinox) until some time late in the 18th century.