What are the important events that happened on March 17? Here are historical events, facts, and some myths about this day.
March 17: Facts & Myths About This Day
March 17 is the 76th day of the year 2017 in the Gregorian calendar. There are 289 days remaining until the end of this year. The day of the week is Friday.
Under the Julian calendar, this day is March 4, 2017 – a Friday. Both day of the week are the same but did you notice the difference with the Gregorian calendar?
When this day started, 1,489,708,800 seconds has elapsed since midnight of January 1, 1970 – the Unix epoch.
Strange as it may, if we name this day after a polygon then it will be called ‘heptacontahexagon’ day.
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Pisces is the zodiac sign of a person born on this day. Aquamarine is the modern birthstone for this month. Jade is the mystical birthstone from Tibetan origin that dates back over a thousand years.
According to the lunisolar Chinese calendar, there are 339 days remaining before the start of the next Chinese New Year.
The ancient Maya civilization believes that the end of the world will happen on December 21, 2012. There are now 1,547 days since this fabled cataclysmic event.
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March 17 Historical Events
- 45 BC –In his last victory, Julius Caesar defeats the Pompeian forces of Titus Labienus and Pompey the Younger in the Battle of Munda.
- 180 –Marcus Aurelius dies leaving Commodus the sole emperor of the Roman Empire.
- 624 –Led by Muhammad, the Muslims of Medina defeat the Quraysh of Mecca in the Battle of Badr.
- 1805 –The Italian Republic, with Napoleon as president, becomes the Kingdom of Italy, with Napoleon as King.
- 1860 –The First Taranaki War begins in Taranaki, New Zealand, a major phase of the New Zealand land wars.
- 1941 –In Washington, D.C., the National Gallery of Art is officially opened by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
- 1948 –Benelux, France, and the United Kingdom sign the Treaty of Brussels, a precursor to the North Atlantic Treaty establishing NATO.
- 1950 –Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley announce the creation of element 98, which they name “Californium”.
- 1973 –The Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph Burst of Joy is taken, depicting a former prisoner of war being reunited with his family.
- 2003 –Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Robin Cook, resigns from the British Cabinet in disagreement with government plans for the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
Who were born on March 17?
- 1231 –Emperor Shijō of Japan (d. 1242)
- 1834 –Gottlieb Daimler, German engineer and inventor (d. 1900)
- 1939 –Jim Gary, American sculptor (d. 2006)
- 1939 –Robin Knox-Johnston, British Yachtsman
- 1944 –Pattie Boyd, British photographer and model
- 1960 –Vicki Lewis, American actress
- 1964 –Rob Lowe, American actor
- 1969 –Mathew St. Patrick, American actor
- 1975 –Mason Jennings, American folksinger
- 1985 –Vassiliki Arvaniti, Greek beach volleyball player
Who died on March 17?
- 180 –Marcus Aurelius, Roman emperor (b. 121)
- 1040 –Harold Harefoot, King of England
- 1764 –George Parker, 2nd Earl of Macclesfield, English astronomer
- 1849 –William II of the Netherlands (b. 1792)
- 1962 –Pat Clayton, British surveyor and explorer (b. 1896)
- 1990 –Ric Grech, British bass player (Blind Faith – Traffic) (b. 1946)
- 2006 –Bob Blue, American singer/songwriter (b. 1948)
- 2006 –Bob Papenbrook, American voice actor (b. 1955)
- 2007 –Roger Bennett, American gospel performer (b. 1959)
- 2008 –Roland Arnall, United States Ambassador to the Netherlands (b. 1939)
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