Re: Calendars
Posted by ESC on
September 29, 2002
In Reply to: Calendars
posted by nancy k. on September 28, 2002
: Does anyone know why
the English changed New Years Day to the First day of Spring in the Julian Calendar?
Here's
is part of an online article by Jerry Wilson. I'm not sure if it answers your
question, but it is a start:
http://wilstar.com/holidays/newyear.htm
"The
celebration of the new year is the oldest of all holidays. It was first observed
in ancient Babylon about 4000 years ago. In the years around 2000 BC, the Babylonian
New Year began with the first New Moon (actually the first visible cresent) after
the Vernal Equinox (first day of spring).
The beginning of spring is a logical
time to start a new year. After all, it is the season of rebirth, of planting
new crops, and of blossoming. January 1, on the other hand, has no astronomical
nor agricultural significance. It is purely arbitrary.
The Babylonian new year
celebration lasted for eleven days. Each day had its own particular mode of celebration,
but it is safe to say that modern New Year's Eve festivities pale in comparison.
The Romans continued to observe the new year in late March, but their calendar
was continually tampered with by various emperors so that the calendar soon became
out of synchronization with the sun.
In order to set the calendar right, the
Roman senate, in 153 BC, declared January 1 to be the beginning of the new year.
But tampering continued until Julius Caesar, in 46 BC, established what has come
to be known as the Julian Calendar. It again established January 1 as the new
year. But in order to synchronize the calendar with the sun, Caesar had to let
the previous year drag on for 445 days."
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