Yes.
Honestly, that’s the short answer. If you look at the calendar hanging on your fridge or the digital one on your phone, March is firmly planted in the number three spot. It follows February and precedes April. It’s the gateway to spring in the Northern Hemisphere and the start of autumn for everyone down south. But if you think that’s the end of the story, you’re missing out on some of the weirdest logic in human history.
Why do we even ask is March the third month? Most people just accept it. We count 1, 2, 3. January, February, March. It feels like a law of nature, but it's actually a relatively "recent" invention in the grand scheme of human civilization. For hundreds of years, if you asked a Roman citizen that same question, they would have looked at you like you’d lost your mind. To them, March wasn't third.
It was first.
The Roman Calendar Mess and Why March Was Number One
In the original Roman calendar—the one supposedly created by Romulus, the founder of Rome—the year only had ten months. It started in March and ended in December. If you’ve ever wondered why "September" sounds like septem (seven) but is actually the ninth month, or why "December" sounds like decem (ten) but is the twelfth, this is your smoking gun.
The Romans were obsessed with war and farming. March was named after Mars, the god of war. It made sense to start the year when the snow melted and the armies could finally start marching again. The winter period? They basically ignored it. It was a "gap" of about 61 days that didn't even belong to a month. They just waited for spring to arrive so they could start the calendar over.
Eventually, King Numa Pompilius decided this was a bit chaotic. He added January and February to the end of the year. March stayed the leader of the pack for a long time after that, but the seeds of our modern 12-month system were planted.
The Shift to January
So, how did March get demoted? It wasn't an overnight thing. In 153 BCE, Roman consuls—the big bosses of the Republic—began entering office on January 1st instead of March 1st. They needed to get their business started earlier to prep for military campaigns.
Later, Julius Caesar came along and cleaned up the whole mess with the Julian Calendar in 46 BCE. He officially cemented January 1st as the start of the New Year. Suddenly, is March the third month became a true statement. But old habits die hard. Even after the Roman Empire collapsed, much of Europe went back to celebrating the New Year in March. They liked the idea of the year starting with "new life" and the Annunciation (a Christian holiday on March 25th). It took the Gregorian Calendar in 1582 to finally get everyone on the same page, though England didn't get the memo until 1752.
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Imagine living through 1751 in England. It was a short year! They ended it in December and started 1752 in January to align with the rest of Europe. People were legitimately angry, thinking the government had "stolen" eleven days of their lives.
What Makes March Unique Today?
Beyond its numerical position, March is a bit of a psychological bridge. It’s the month of the Vernal Equinox. This is the moment the sun crosses the celestial equator. Day and night are roughly equal.
In the United States, we associate March with "Madness" because of the NCAA basketball tournament. It's a month of brackets, upsets, and lost productivity in offices across the country. But historically, this month was about survival. "March madness" used to refer to the erratic behavior of European hares during their breeding season. They’d box each other in the fields. It looked like they were going crazy.
Meteorological vs. Astronomical Spring
When we discuss is March the third month, we usually talk about seasons too. Meteorologists and astronomers actually disagree on when spring starts.
- Meteorological Spring: This starts on March 1st. It’s based on the annual temperature cycle and the Gregorian calendar. It’s cleaner for record-keeping.
- Astronomical Spring: This starts around March 20th or 21st. This is the "real" spring based on the Earth's tilt relative to the sun.
Most people feel like March is a bit of a liar. It promises warmth but often delivers one last brutal snowstorm. In the UK, there's an old saying about "March coming in like a lion and going out like a lamb." It’s a reference to the shift from winter’s roar to spring’s gentle breeze.
The Global Perspective: When March Isn't Third
While the Gregorian calendar is the international standard for business and politics, many cultures still use different systems. In these calendars, the answer to is March the third month is a hard "no."
Take the Iranian Calendar (Solar Hijri). It’s one of the most accurate calendars in the world. Their year begins on the vernal equinox. So, when we are celebrating the "third month," they are celebrating the beginning of their first month, Farvardin. It's the Nowruz festival—a massive celebration of rebirth.
Then you have the Hindu calendar. Depending on the specific regional version, the New Year often falls in March or April (the month of Chaitra). In the Thai Solar Calendar, March is Minakhom, and while it occupies the third slot, the numbering system and cultural context feel entirely different than the Western "St. Patrick's Day and Tax Prep" vibe.
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Why the Number Three Matters
In numerology and various cultural traditions, the number three is a big deal. It represents a beginning, middle, and end. It’s the triad.
Since March is the third month, it often feels like the "real" start of the year's momentum. January is for resolutions that we usually break. February is for hiding under blankets. March is when the work actually begins.
Surprising March Facts You Probably Didn't Know
The Ides of March: Everyone knows Shakespeare’s "Beware the Ides of March." That was March 15th, the day Julius Caesar was assassinated. But "Ides" was just a standard Roman term for the middle of the month. Every month had an Ides. March just happens to be the one where a world leader got stabbed.
The Vernal Equinox: It doesn't always fall on the same day. It can be March 19, 20, or 21. This happens because a "year" isn't exactly 365 days; it's about 365.24 days. That's why we have leap years.
Statistically Speaking: March is often the month when people start searching for "gym memberships" again after the January rush dies down. It's the "second chance" month for goals.
Animal Hibernation: Many animals start waking up in March. If you see a groggy groundhog or a confused bear, it’s because the internal biological clock is reacting to the lengthening days of the third month.
Is March Always 31 Days?
Yes.
March has always been a "long" month. Even in the old Roman 10-month calendar, Martius had 31 days. It’s one of the seven months in the Gregorian calendar that boasts 31 days. This is great for workers who get paid monthly, but a bit of a slog for anyone waiting for an April 1st paycheck.
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How to Make the Most of the Third Month
If you're looking at your calendar and realizing that a quarter of the year is almost gone, don't panic. March is the perfect time for a "reset."
Instead of treating it like just another month, treat it like the ancient Romans did—the start of the "active" year.
Review your finances. Most people wait until April 14th to think about taxes. Doing it in March saves you the heart attack.
Audit your goals. If you set a New Year's resolution in January and haven't touched it since the 10th, March is your window to restart. The weather is getting better, which usually means your mood is too.
Check your emergency kits. With the change of seasons comes the change of weather patterns. In many places, March is the start of "severe weather" season. Check your flashlight batteries.
Observe nature. Take five minutes to walk outside and look for crocuses or buds on trees. There is a specific "smell" to March—the smell of thawing earth and wet pavement—that you can't find any other time of year.
March is more than just a digit on a page. It’s a historical survivor. It’s a month that refused to be forgotten even when the entire calendar was rewritten around it. Whether it's the first month of your spiritual year or the third month of your fiscal year, it represents the inevitable push of time toward something greener and brighter.
The question is March the third month is easy to answer with a "yes," but the reason why involves thousands of years of emperors, astronomers, and farmers trying to make sense of the sky.
Next time you flip your calendar to March, remember that you’re looking at a month named after a god of war, once used to mark the start of everything, now sitting patiently as the third step in our journey through the year.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Sync your calendar: Ensure your digital and physical calendars are aligned, especially if you deal with international clients who may follow different holiday schedules (like the Persian New Year).
- Plan for the Equinox: Mark March 20th on your calendar. It’s a great day to start a new habit, as it aligns with the natural "new year" of the Earth's orbit.
- Spring Cleaning Audit: Don't wait for April. Start decluttering one room per week in March to beat the seasonal rush.