Today is the 15th March and that means it’s time to settle your debts, be merry, and watch your back! Wait, we aren’t in Roman times anymore. And what the hell are “ides” and why should I beware?
What are the Ides of March?
The Ides of March was a day in the Roman calendar, (for us, 15th March) that was used as the deadline for settling debts in Rome as well as a time for celebration as the date was used as the marker of a new lunar phase—and even a new year in some cases.
However, the ominous association came from the Ides of March being the death day of Julius Caesar (in 44 BC) and the phrase ‘Beware the Ides of March’ comes from Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar, where a soothsayer warned the Roman emperor of a fateful event.
Be aware the links of March
Now you’ve got an idea of what it means, let’s dig deeper with some links about the day and everything inspired by it:
- Ides of March on Wikipedia
- 6 myths about the Ides of March and killing Caesar (Vox)
- No Need to Beware the Ides of March, Actually (HowStuffWorks)
- The Ides of March denarius (The Fitzwilliam Museum)
- A.Word.A.Day — ides (Wordsmith)
- The Ides of March in Xena: Warrior Princess
- Ides of March After-Party: Roman Drinking Songs? (LAist)
- Transgressive Acts: Ovid’s Treatment of the Ides of March (JSTOR)
- THE IDES (Washington Post, archived from 1981)
- Wear the Ides of March (Vanity Fair, from 1985)
- The Best TV Betrayals To Watch This Ides of March (Vulture)