March
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| March | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Name | March |
| Position | 3rd month |
| Days | 31 |
| Season north | Spring |
| Season south | Autumn |
| Birthstone | Aquamarine |
| Flower | Daffodil |
| Zodiac | Pisces, Aries |
March March is the third month of the Gregorian and Julian calendars, situated between February and April and positioned in the quarter that includes the vernal equinox in the Northern Hemisphere and the autumnal equinox in the Southern Hemisphere. Its significance spans antiquity through modernity, appearing in the records of Roman Republic, Byzantine Empire, Holy Roman Empire, Kingdom of England, Tsardom of Russia, and contemporary United Nations observances. The month is associated with agricultural cycles, religious liturgies, political events, and cultural festivals across regions such as Mesopotamia, Anatolia, Iberian Peninsula, Indian subcontinent, and Mesoamerica.
Etymology
The name derives from the Roman designation Martius, honoring Mars (Roman god), who was venerated by institutions like the Roman Senate and military bodies such as the Legio X Equestris. The reform of the calendar by Numa Pompilius and later codifications under Julius Caesar and Pope Gregory XIII influenced its placement and length, affecting liturgical calendars used by Council of Nicaea-era churches and legal codices in Byzantium. Medieval chroniclers in Carolingian Empire and clerics associated with Monastery of Cluny preserved Latin nomenclature that spread via manuscripts tied to University of Paris and University of Bologna.
Calendar and Astronomical Position
Astronomically, the month often contains the vernal equinox, a point central to computations by astronomers at Ptolemy's school, navigators from Age of Exploration, and observatories like Royal Greenwich Observatory. Ephemerides used by Tycho Brahe, Johannes Kepler, Isaac Newton, and later by U.S. Naval Observatory determine solar longitude crossing 0° to 30°. The timing influenced ecclesiastical determinations such as those by First Council of Nicaea and calendar reforms by Pope Gregory XIII; astronomers at Royal Observatory, Edinburgh and instruments at Paranal Observatory continue to mark equinox phenomena. Calendrical variants—Julian, Gregorian, Revised Julian—affect liturgical dating in Eastern Orthodox Church, secular holiday scheduling in European Union, and fiscal years for institutions like International Monetary Fund.
History and Cultural Significance
March figures in military campaigns such as operations by Alexander the Great, Hannibal, Julius Caesar during the late Roman Republic, and campaigns in the Napoleonic Wars with battles like Battle of Austerlitz and maneuvers preceding Battle of Waterloo. In medieval periods, land clearances and planting rituals linked to manorial systems under Magna Carta era lords and agricultural treatises like those by Cato the Elder informed seasonal labor. Reformation-era conflicts involving Martin Luther, Henry VIII, and the Council of Trent include March occurrences in political calendars. Revolutionary events such as the March Revolution in various countries, uprisings referenced in texts by Karl Marx, and parliamentary actions in British Parliament often began or culminated in March sessions. Cultural rites from Nowruz in Persia to spring festivals in Heian period Japan and rites recorded in Rigveda traditions mark the month across civilizational contexts.
Holidays and Observances
Religious and civic observances include Easter-related movable feasts determined from the equinox, fixed feasts in Eastern Orthodox Church calendars, and national holidays like St Patrick's Day, celebrated in Republic of Ireland and diasporas including New York City and Boston. Secular observances include International Women's Day recognized by United Nations, labor rallies tied to unions such as International Trade Union Confederation, and cultural commemorations like Holi in the Indian subcontinent when it coincides. National observances span Commonwealth Day in United Kingdom, state memorials in United States legislated by United States Congress, and civic ceremonies managed by institutions including Smithsonian Institution and municipal governments in cities like Tokyo and São Paulo.
Weather and Seasonal Patterns
Climatologically, March transitions involve synoptic patterns studied by agencies like National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, and Meteorological Office (UK), producing phenomena such as late-season snowstorms affecting regions proximate to Appalachian Mountains and Alps, nor'easters impacting New England, and shifting monsoon onsets that concern climatologists at Indian Meteorological Department. Phenological signals—blooming recorded by botanists at Kew Gardens and migration tracked by ornithologists at Cornell Lab of Ornithology—track rapid changes across bioregions including Mediterranean Basin, Boreal forest, and Amazon rainforest.
Notable Events and Births/Deaths
Historical events in March include legislative acts passed in sessions of United States Congress, coronations in Westminster Abbey, revolts documented by Herodotus and Thucydides, and treaties signed at venues like Treaty of Paris-style negotiations. Notable births in the month include figures such as Albert Einstein, Johann Sebastian Bach, James Madison, Rosa Luxemburg, Michelangelo Buonarroti, and René Descartes; notable deaths include leaders and creators like William Shakespeare, Alexander Fleming, Florence Nightingale, and Ludwig van Beethoven. Scientific milestones—papers by Charles Darwin and laboratory achievements at CERN—often bear March dates in publication or announcement.
In Popular Culture
March appears as a temporal setting in works by authors like Leo Tolstoy, Jane Austen, Virginia Woolf, and playwrights associated with Royal Shakespeare Company productions; films from studios such as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Paramount Pictures set climaxes in the month. Music compositions premiered by orchestras like Berlin Philharmonic and record releases by artists under labels such as Columbia Records often reference March seasons. Television episodes produced by networks including BBC and HBO have March-themed plots tied to events like Saint Patrick's Day, spring break scenes in series filmed in Los Angeles, and documentary releases coordinated with International Women's Day programming.
Category:Months