The Ides of March is the 74th day in the Roman calendar, corresponding to March 15. It was marked by several religious observances and was notable for the Romans as a deadline for settling debts. The Ides began a ‘holy week’ of festivals celebrating Cybele and Attis. Attis was born and found among the reeds of a Phrygian river. He was discovered by the goddess Cybele, who was also known as the Magna Mater (Great Mother.) A week later, on March 22, the solemn commemoration of Arbor intrat ("The Tree enters") commemorated the death of Attis under a pine tree. The day was formalized as part of the official Roman calendar under Claudius (d. 54 AD). A three-day period of mourning followed, culminating with celebrating the rebirth of Attis on 25 March, the date of the vernal equinox on the Julian calendar. In modern times, the Ides of March is best known as the date on which Julius Caesar was assassinated in 44 BC. Caesar was stabbed to death at a meeting of the Senate. As many as 60 conspirators, led by Brutus and Cassius, were involved. We often say to each other when something negative or dangerous is about to happen....'Beware the Ides of March....' Hopefully nothing bad will happen, although someone must have said this a year ago, as the Covid-19 pandemic was just starting to engulf the entire globe.
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