The Ides of March

On This Day in Ancient History: March 15: The Ides of March

There was a day known as the Ides (originally set to correspond with the full moon) in each month of the ancient Roman calendar, but only one of them has made it into popular culture. This day is the Ides of March, which happens to occur on the 15th of the month.

The Roman calendar prior to Julius Caesar's fixing it was a mess. The Ides of March for the year 190 B.C. fell several months earlier, on the 18th of November, 191 B.C., according to "The Roman Calendar, 190-168 B. C.," by P. S. Derow (Phoenix , Vol. 27, No. 4 (Winter, 1973), pp. 345-356).

Although infamous even in the eventful year, the continued fame of the date March 15 is due to Shakespeare's references to it in Julius Caesar.

The Ides of March in 44 B.C. was the day a group of Roman senators assassinated Julius Caesar. Read about the Ides of March, the main assassins, and Julius Caesar. Another event on 15th of March was the festival for Anna Perenna, Roman goddess of the New Year. There may have been a connection between the festival and the assassination.

_{Photo CC Elessar of an assassination of Caesar painting by the Italian Vincenzo Camucini.}

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