Season 2, Episode 2 - January 1, 2021

New Years in Times Past

Stuff I talk about:

• The Babylonians and their new year observance
• Ditto the Egyptians
• The Romans and how that matters to us today
• Pope Gregory and his fix-it calendar
• Some thoughts that fell out of my brain about all this

Sources I used:

• https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/new-years
• https://www.britannica.com/story/why-does-the-new-year-start-on-january-1
• https://www.history.com/news/5-ancient-new-years-celebrations
• My cerebrum

Episode note, aka "smack my head" moment:  Duh...October, November, December did NOT get set up after Julius and Augustus...they were in place in a 10-month calendar. Helloooo! Oct = 8, Nov = 9, Dec = 10.  It hit me listening to playback. Sorry about that!

(and toward the end, I said "Christian New Year" when I meant "Chinese New  Year"...I suspect I'll have notes like this for every episode!)

Here is the George Hahn Twitter video I promised: 
https://twitter.com/CapehartJ/status/1344738477150265363
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