Why Is February So Short? | Smartest Year Ever (Feb 1, 2025)
About this episode
Why does February have only 28 days? And why is it named after an ancient Roman cleansing ritual? This month used to sit at the end of the calendar, acting as a reset button before the Romans moved the new year to January. Then, in a bizarre turn of numerical superstition, February got stuck as the runt of the litter—and even Julius Caesar’s reforms didn’t help.
🔹 The 10-month calendar that came before🔹 The festival of Februa and its purifying origins🔹 Why February was doomed to be short forever
Tune in for the weird history of February!
Sources:
History.com - Origins of February
Encyclopedia Britannica - Ancient Roman Festivals
National Geographic - Roman Calendar Evolution
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