The Ides of March

In ancient Rome the Ides of March was “Tax Day”. All debts, public and private were due. And that’s what happened to Julius Caesar after violating the Senate’s order to not cross the Rubicon with his Legions. Over 60 Senators took revenge and collected their debt--and the resulting assasination of Julius Caesar would change the path of history for the Roman Empire on that historic day in 44 BC.

Determining the Ides

Romans used a lunar calendar and divided each month into three parts: Kalends (the begging of a new moon/month), Nomes (5 to 7 days prior to Ides), and Ides (the 13th day of each month except March 15th).

Dates were noted as for example: “4 days before Ides”, “3 days before Nome”, “10 days prior to Kalend”.  Sort of like counting backwards. Our March 22nd would have been, “10 days before Kalends”.

The monthly Ides were sacred to their God Jupiter. Each Ide was celebrated with a ritual slaughter of sheep in remembrance of the death of Attis who died from self castration. Zeus resurrected him 3 days later according to their mythology.