In March, various celebrations mark the beginning of spring, including St. Patrick’s Day and Women’s History Month. However, the month also carries a cautionary message: “Beware the Ides of March.” This famous phrase originates from William Shakespeare’s play “Julius Caesar,” where a soothsayer warns the Roman emperor before his assassination. Shakespeare drew inspiration from the Greek historian Plutarch’s accounts of the real Caesar receiving a similar warning before his demise on March 15, 44 B.C.E. Shakespeare’s audience, familiar with Roman history, would have recognized the significance of this date.
The Ides of March is a term from the ancient Roman calendar, distinguishing the middle of the month, with Kalends marking the beginning and Nones falling in between. This system of dating was used before and after Caesar introduced the Julian calendar. In 2025, the Ides of March will fall on Saturday, March 15.
Throughout history, significant events have occurred on the Ides of March, leading to its association with ill omens. From a deadly cyclone in Samoa in 1889 to Adolf Hitler’s annexation of Czechoslovakia in 1939 and the declaration of SARS as a global health threat in 2003, this date has seen its share of tragedies. The Ides of March continues to be referenced in various forms of media, emphasizing its enduring legacy as a date of caution.
