The Superior Express -

January, the first month of the year. Specifically, first month of the year in our present, Gregorian, calendar. While we might think of January as snowy, bleak and cold, the Romans considered it “dead.” The Roman lunar calendar had 12 “months” but the two winter months didn’t even have names. The government and army weren’t active during that time of the year so it was as if the time was “dead.”

Eventually the time was given names, Januarius and Februarius but they were the last two months of the year. The Roman year started in Martius (our March). Named for Mars the god of war, the year star...