History of March: Why in like a Lion and out like a Lamb?
Mars. Image: Daily Mail
HISTORY OF MARCH
The month that can come “in like a lion and out like a lamb” is named after Mars, the Roman god of war (and agriculture). Indeed, in French, the month is called Mars.
It shares the name with the fourth planet in the Solar System, the blood-colored “Red Planet,” likely due to the recent discovery of the red iron mineral ferrihydrite on the planet. The ancient Egyptians called the planet “Her Desher,” which means “the red one.”
Astronomy Trivia:
Tonight, February 28, 2026, we’re witnessing a rare celestial event known as the “Planet Parade.” During this occurrence, six planets align closely on the same side of the sun, creating a visually striking straight-ish line.
Rare Planetary Alignment on February 28, 2026. Image: Starwalk
The naked eye will be able to spot Mercury, Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, Uranus, and Neptune with binoculars or a basic telescope. The first three will appear above the horizon in the west 30-60 minutes after sunset. Uranus and Neptune will appear faint high in the east and require optics.
What’s In a Name?
March, or Martius as it was known in ancient Rome, is the first month of Spring. It was considered a favorable season for travel, planting, or beginning a military campaign.
March 1 in the Northern Hemisphere marks the beginning of the meteorological Spring and was the original New Year’s Day of Rome until at least 153 B.C., when it was changed to December or January under different Roman rulers.
Some parts of Europe continued to use March as the beginning of the year until the 16th century, and Great Britain and her Colonies into the 18th century, when the West changed the calendar from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar.
March Holidays
Following the West’s liturgical church calendar, March may be host to “movable” pre-Lent holidays like Shrove Monday, Mardi Gras, and Ash Wednesday, or they could occur as early as February, as they do this year.
If the first full moon happens on or after March 21, Good Friday and Easter may occur in March. This year, they’re in April.
The Ides of March, St. Patrick’s Day, and the Vernal Equinox are “fixed” to this month. Italian holidays, like St. Joseph’s Day, occur here too.
The old saying:
March winds and April showers?
Bring forth May flowers.
It could mean it’s an excellent month to fly a kite.
March and Spring
Daffodils (Narcissus poeticus). Image: Wikimedia
In Colorado, where I live, the ground is still covered with snow, but March signifies the beginning of Spring when animals come out of hibernation. Rabbits appear everywhere, setting off my camera sensors.
Certain flowers begin to blossom. Daffodils are the birth flower for those born in March. When I was a student at Berkeley, the fraternities and sororities would sell them in March for their fundraisers. Why is the daffodil so appealing?
Spring and Narcissus
The Latin or scientific name for daffodil is Narcissus. In Ancient Greece, Narcissus was a hunter who was followed by the mountain nymph Echo while walking in the woods. He sensed her and called out,
“Who’s there?”
But Echo could only repeat,
“Who’s there.”
When she eventually revealed herself to the beautiful youth and attempted to embrace him, he moved away and commanded her to leave him alone. She left weeping and heartbroken and then spent her life sadly until all that remained of her was her echo.
But Aphrodite was Echo’s protector. In the personage of Nemesis, the goddess of retribution against hubris (excessive pride toward or defiance of the gods), she saw Narcissus’ behavior. She determined he’d get “what is due” (the Greek meaning of Nemesis.) One summer, while hunting, he became thirsty, and the goddess lured him to a pool of water.
Echo and Narcissus, by John William Waterhouse (cropped). Image: Wikipedia
As Narcissus leaned over the pool, he saw a beautiful youth in the bloom of youth. Not recognizing that it was his own reflection, he fell in love. He could not leave the image, but, realizing his love could not be reciprocated, his unrequited fire of burning passion melted him away, leaving nothing of him but a flower of gold and white, a narcissus.
Bill Petro, your friendly neighborhood historian
billpetro.com
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