Overview
- In early Rome the civic year began in March until accounts describe a mid–2nd century BCE shift tied to political timing.
- Some classical sources say the Senate advanced consular inaugurations to January 1 to speed mobilization against Segeda in Hispania, with archaeological work highlighting the city’s prominence.
- Julius Caesar’s 45 BCE Julian calendar formalized a 365-day year with leap years and set January 1 as the official start.
- Medieval practice varied across Europe until the 1582 Gregorian reform corrected Julian drift and helped standardize the civil New Year on January 1.
- Despite the civil calendar’s dominance, many cultures still observe their own New Year dates while January 1 serves as the global civic marker.