Variety

When the year began in March

Do you know that there was an age or period of time when March was the first month of the year? That was a long, long time ago, long before the birth of Christ.

In the ancient Roman calendar, March was the first month of the year and the year had only 10 months, based on the changing appearance of the Moon. The months had no names, only numbers according to their order in the year.

The fifth month for instance was Quintus meaning five or (fifth) and the next month was Sextus (six or sixth).

This 10-month calendar was as old as the city of Rome. It was used from the time of Romulus, the founder of the city to which he gave his name Roma.(In English we say Rome). That was 753 years before the birth of Christ. It is 2008 years since Christ was born. So that is 2761 years ago.

This calendar was in use for 707 years until it was changed by Julius Caesar in 46 BC. (subtract 46 from 753 and the answer is 707).

When the calendar was changed, two months were added, making it a 12-month year. So, the 10th month in the old calendar became the 12th in the new calendar, the ninth month became the 11th, the eighth month became the 10th, the seventh month became the ninth and so on.

Latin was the language of ancient Rome and these months had Latin names, like Quintus (fifth); Decem, which means 10, was given the name for the last and 10th month of the year. Likewise, November comes from the Latin Novem meaning nine, October from Latin Oct, eighth and September from the Latin scpem.

As mentioned earlier in this article, the calendar was re-cast on the orders of Julius Caesar who was the ruler of Rome. The year was divided into 12 months of 30 and 31 days in alternate months. The two months which were added were given names. The first month was named after Janus, the God with two heads, one looking forward and the other backward.

In Roman mythology, Janus was the God of Beginnings and the guardian of gates and doors. So, naming the first month of the year after Janus was meaningful and very appropriate.

Februaris, the name given to the next month, is from a latin word which means to purify. It was the month when Romans purified themselves for religious festivals in the coming months. The first month in the old calendar and now the third is named after Mars the God of War in Roman mythology.

Julius Caesar was born in Quintus, the third month in the old calendar. He wanted this month named after him. So Quintus became July. This is now the seventh month. Octavius or Augustus Caesar who became ruler after Julius Caesar wanted a month with his name. So the next month Sextus (sixth) was changed to August.

The Roman Senate proposed that November be named after the Emperor Tiberius Caesar, the Emperor modestly refused to give his approval saying, ‘what will you do if there are 13 emperors?’

So, the months that follow August, the eighth month in the new calendar, continue to be called by the old names which mean seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth, although they are now the ninth, 10th, 11th, and 12th months of the year.

Rome was the centre of civilization in Europe.

Everything or most things originated in Rome and spread throughout Europe, and as with other customs, the old calendar was followed all over Europe. For hundreds of years after the change from the 10-month year to the 12-month year many countries in Europe continued to count March as the first month of the year. England made the change from March to January only in 1752, but Scotland did it earlier in 1660. Sweden changed in 1753, a year after England, Germany and Denmark changed in 1700, but Russia made January 1 the beginning of the year only in 1918, after the Communist revolution.

Why did the ancient Romans begin their year in March? They must have had good reason to do so.

It is possible that they took the equinox as the beginning of a new year. The equinox is on March 21. On that day the time between sunrise and sunset is exactly 12 hours, because on that day the sun is directly over the equator.

March 21 is the Spring Equinox and marks the beginning of spring in the northern hemisphere. It is the time of the year when animals begin to wake up from their winter hibernation and plants begin to put out tender shoots. The Earth is waking up from the winter sleep.

Geece and wild ducks who have been spending the cold winter months in the south where it is warm, are beginning to fly back.

Ancient people were keen observers of nature and the movements of the Sun, Moon and stars. They were aware of the times when daylight and darkness (day and night) were equal.

As long ago as 2000 Bc, the Sumerians in Mesopotamia calculated the new year by the new moon nearest the spring equinox also called the vernal equinox.

In Iran today the New Year is celebrated on the day of the equinox (March 21). So like in ancient Rome, the Iranian year still begins in March, according to the modern calendar.

- Sumana Saparamadu