During the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire, years began on the date on which each consul first entered the office. This was probably May 1 before 222 BC, March 15 from 222 BC to 154 BC, and January 1 from 153 BC. In 45 BC, when Julius Caesar‘s new Julian calendar took effect, the Senate fixed January 1 as the first day of the year. At that time, this was the date on which those who were to hold civil office assumed their official position, and it was also the traditional annual date for the convening of the Roman Senate. This civil new year remained in effect throughout the Roman Empire, east and west, during its lifetime and well after, wherever the Julian calendar continued in use.
In England, the Angle, Saxon, and Viking invasions of the fifth through tenth centuries plunged the region back into pre-history for a time. While the reintroduction of Christianity brought the Julian calendar with it, its use was primarily in the service of the church to begin with. After William the Conqueror became king in 1066, he ordered that January 1 be re-established as the civil New Year to coincide with his coronation. From about 1155, England and Scotland joined much of Europe to celebrate the New Year on March 25, falling in line with the rest of Christendom.
In the Middle Ages in Europe a number of significant feast days in the ecclesiastical calendar of the Roman Catholic Church came to be used as the beginning of the Julian year:
In Modern Style or Circumcision Style dating, the new year started on January 1, the Feast of the Circumcision of Christ.
In Annunciation Style or Lady Day Style dating the new year started on March 25, the feast of the Annunciation (traditionally nicknamed Lady Day). This date was used in many parts of Europe during the Middle Ages and beyond.
Scotland changed to Modern Style new year dating on January 1, 1600, by Order of the King’s Privy Council on December 17, 1599. Despite the unification of the Scottish and English royal crowns with the accession of King James VI and I in 1603, and even the union of the kingdoms themselves in 1707, England continued using March 25 until after Parliament passed the Calendar (New Style) Act of 1750. This act converted all of Great Britain to use of the Gregorian calendar and simultaneously redefined the civil new year to January 1 (as in Scotland). It went into effect on 3 September (Old Style or 14 September New Style) 1752.
In Easter Style dating, the new year started on Holy Saturday (the day before Easter), or sometimes on Good Friday. This was used all over Europe, but especially in France, from the eleventh to the sixteenth century. A disadvantage of this system was that because Easter was a movable feast the same date could occur twice in a year; the two occurrences were distinguished as “before Easter” and “after Easter”.
In Christmas Style or Nativity Style dating the new year started on December 25. This was used in Germany and England until the eleventh century,[18] and in Spain from the fourteenth to the sixteenth century.
Southward equinox day (usually September 22) was “New Year’s Day” in the French Republican Calendar, which was in use from 1793 to 1805. This was primidi Vendémiaire, the first day of the first month.
Post time: Jan-04-2023