loeb@sri-unix (11/05/82)
According to Cary & Scullard's _H_i_s_t_o_r_y _o_f _R_o_m_e the first day of
the year was changed from March 15 to January 1, during the 2nd
century BC to allow consuls leading armies in Spain (won from the
Carthaginians in the 2nd Punic War) time to be elected and still
make it to Spain before the campaigning season started
-Corinne Loeb
...!teklabs!reed!loeb