What are the important events that happened on January 15? Here are historical events, facts, and some myths about this day.

January 15: Facts & Myths About This Day

January 15 is the 15^th day of the year 2025 in the Gregorian calendar. There are 350 days remaining until the end of this year. The day of the week is Wednesday.

Under the Julian calendar, this day is January 2, 2025 – a Wednesday. Both day of the week are the same but did you notice the difference with the Gregorian calendar?

When this day started, 1,736,899,200 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 ‘pentadecagon’ day.

Capricorn is the zodiac sign of a person born on this day. Garnet is the modern birthstone for this month. Emerald is the mystical birthstone from Tibetan origin that dates back over a thousand years.

According to the lunisolar Chinese calendar, there are 14 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 4,408 days since this fabled cataclysmic event.

January 15 Historical Events

• 588 BC –
  Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon lays siege to Jerusalem under Zedekiah’s reign. The siege lasts until July 23, 586 BC.
• 69 –
  Otho seizes power in Rome, proclaiming himself Emperor of Rome, but rules for only three months before committing suicide.
• 1777 –
  American Revolutionary War: New Connecticut (present day Vermont) declares its independence.
• 1889 –
  The Coca-Cola Company, then known as the Pemberton Medicine Company, is originally incorporated in Atlanta.
• 1892 –
  James Naismith publishes the rules of basketball.
• 1919 –
  Boston Molasses Disaster: A large molasses tank in Boston, bursts and a wave of molasses rushes through the streets, killing 21 people and injuring 150 others.
• 1936 –
  The first building to be completely covered in glass, built for the Owens-Illinois Glass Company, is completed in Toledo, Ohio.
• 1949 –
  Chinese Civil War: The Chinese Communist Party forces take over Tianjin from the Nationalist Government.
• 1970 –
  Nigerian Civil War: After a 32-month fight for independence from Nigeria, Biafra surrenders.
• 1986 –
  The Living Seas opens at EPCOT Center in Walt Disney World, Florida.

Who were born on January 15?

• 1538 –
  Maeda Toshiie, Japanese general (d. 1599)
• 1795 –
  Alexandr Griboyedov, Russian playwright (d. 1829)
• 1878 –
  Johanna Müller-Hermann, Austrian composer and pedagogue (d. 1941)
• 1909 –
  Gene Krupa, American drummer (d. 1973)
• 1925 –
  Ruth Slenczynska, U.S. pianist
• 1943 –
  Ashraf Aman, first Pakistani to reach the summit of K2
• 1945 –
  William R. Higgins, USMC colonel (d. 1990)
• 1976 –
  Doug Gottlieb, American basketball analyst
• 1981 –
  Howie Day, American singer
• 1984 –
  Victor Rasuk, American actor

Who died on January 15?

• 1775 –
  Giovanni Battista Sammartini, Italian composer
• 1815 –
  Emma, Lady Hamilton, English mistress of Lord Nelson (b. 1761)
• 1893 –
  Fanny Kemble, British actress and author (b. 1809)
• 1896 –
  Mathew Brady, U.S. photographer (b. 1822)
• 1936 –
  Henry Forster, 1st Baron Forster, Governor-General of Australia (b. 1866)
• 1994 –
  Georges Cziffra, Hungarian-French pianist (b. 1921)
• 1999 –
  Betty Box, British film producer (b. 1915)
• 2003 –
  Doris Fisher, American singer and songwriter (b. 1915)
• 2005 –
  Elizabeth Janeway, American author (b. 1913)
• 2007 –
  Barzan Ibrahim al-Tikriti, former Iraqi intelligence chief and half-brother of Saddam Hussein (b. 1951) (executed)