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March 15 is known as the Ides of March, a term coined by the ancient Romans.
To the Romans, the word “Ides," meaning divide, had an entirely practical - and in no way sinister - meaning. They used three terms to mark the passage of a month based on the Moon's phases.
"Kalend" signified the first of the month. "None" meant the fifth or seventh day of the Moon, and "Ide" meant the full Moon (the 13th or 15th day). Therefore, the Ides of March simply meant March 15. After the Ides, the rest of the month was considered "before the Kalends" of the following month.
What is the history behind the Ides of March?
The day took on a new meaning in 44 BC with the assassination of Julius Caeser. Popularized by William Shakespeare’s play of the same name, the senator had seized power from the Roman Republic and made himself a dictator.
Plutarch, a Greek biographer and essayist, reportedly observed that Caesar was warned to "beware the Ides of March" by a soothsayer, but he still attended the Roman Senate meeting.
Julius Caeser was murdered by a group of 60 rival senators who wanted to restore the Roman Empire by killing him. The assassination was led by his friends, Brutus and Cassius. However, they did not foresee what took place next.
A civil war broke out in the country, which caused Octavian, the grandnephew and adopted heir of Caesar, to rise to power as emperor. After renaming himself Augustus, he became the first emperor of Rome. In the end, the Roman Republic was lost.
Until the assassination, the historical day was known for its festivals. Feasts and celebrations marked the festival of the Roman deity, Anna Perenna. This was also a time when debts were settled.
What other things happened on March 15?
Aside from Caesar's assassination, March 15 also holds significance for other reasons.
On this day in 1917, Czar Nicholas II abdicated the Russian throne. The following year, he was assassinated alongside with his entire family.
On March 15 1939, the German Army seized control of Czechoslovakia during World War Two.
