Roman New Year.

[Gaius Octavius]

"I could be wrong, but I thought we Romans have been celebrating New Year's Day on the 1st of Ianuarius since the year of the Consuls Ti. Annius Luscus and Q. Fulvious Nobilior (in 601 A.U.C.)? Regardless, I don't like those pesky two new months added in the winter, which have thrown off the whole numbering system.

Happy New Year, Octavi carissime!

 

-- Nephele"

 

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The Jewish New Year was celebrated on Sept. 23, 2006, or 1 Tishrei I, 5767, the Autumnal Equinox of the Gregorian calendar. (The Jewish calendar is a lunar calendar containing 13 months.)

 

In Constantinople, a calendar was introduced in the year_____A.D., which calculated the years from the Beginning of the World in 5508 B.C. The New Year was celebrated on Sept. 1, of the Julian calendar. If 13 days are added to put it into the Gregorian calendar, that would make last Sept. 14th the beginning of the year 7515. (Close enough to the Autumnal Equinox - for government work.)

 

Adding 13 days to the Gregorian calendar makes January 14th the Julian New Year.

 

The Romans were sloppy calendar keepers. They used an astrological calendar. March 1st was the beginning of the New Year prior to 601 A.U.C. (Ab Urbi Condita - From the Beginning of the City) - see above. Originally, the year had 10 months with 304 days and 51 or 52 days added on after December. Someone started calling the last 51 or 52 days February and January. Someone then switched these two around, ergo, January and February. March 1st is still the beginning of the New Year. Then, the Divine Iulius inserts January and February into the beginning of the year, making Jan. 1st the start of the New Year. Assuming that the 'March' of both the astrological and Julian calendars are the same, (in time), then the Gregorian March 14th begins the old Roman New Year. (Close enough - for government work - to the Vernal Equinox.) BUT, since I have no idea on which date of the astrological calendar the Glorious Iulius started his year, and that the Romans were basically an agrarian people, I conclude that the Vernal Equinox, March 21, 2007 A.D., is the beginning of the Roman New Year - 2761. (Also assuming that my sloppy math is correct.)

 

Conclusions:

1. Let me be the first to wish you a Happy Roman New Year on March 21, 2007.

2. Was the 'Constantinople' calendar used for legal and/or public purposes?

3. Since Roman Christians accept both the Old and New Testaments, this gives them at least 3 New Years to celebrate. Also has the advantage of getting away from the Candelabra-Christmas tree bit (in the U.S.), and goes a long way to ridding the world of anti-Semitism. And it also gives them more holidays to be off from work.

4. In addition to being a Senator and a Quaestor, I am a Genius!

 

Edited January 2, 2007 by Gaius Octavius

[Nephele]

Thank you for an enlightening bit of research there, G.O.! I have only one thing to add, regarding the Jewish calendar

[Gaius Octavius]

N.C. :wub: :

 

Note how close 9/22 is to the Autumnal Equinox and 3/19 is to the Vernal Equinox.