What’s Observed on March 17
Born on March 17: Pisces ♓
Pisces, the twelfth and final sign of the zodiac, spans February 19 to March 20 and is symbolized by two fish swimming in opposite directions, tied together by a cord, representing the tension between fantasy and reality, or the conscious and subconscious mind. Ruled by Neptune, the planet of dreams, intuition, and illusion, Pisces is widely regarded as the most emotionally sensitive and imaginative sign of the zodiac. As a Water sign, Pisces navigates the world primarily through feeling and empathy, often absorbing the moods of people around it as though they were its own. Its Mutable modality reflects a deep adaptability and fluidity, comfortable going with the flow rather than forcing rigid plans. People born under this sign are often drawn to art, music, and other creative or spiritual pursuits where their vivid imagination can take shape. Compassionate to a fault, Pisces individuals are frequently the ones quietly caring for others, sometimes at the expense of their own boundaries and needs.
Personality Traits
Strengths
- Deeply empathetic and compassionate
- Highly imaginative and artistic
- Intuitive and perceptive
- Selfless and generous
- Adaptable to change
Weaknesses
- Prone to escapism or avoidance
- Overly trusting, can be taken advantage of
- Difficulty setting boundaries
- Tends toward melancholy
- Indecisive
Compatible Signs
Fun Facts
- Pisces' symbol of two fish bound together swimming in opposite directions comes from a Greek myth in which Aphrodite and Eros transformed into fish and tied themselves together to escape the monster Typhon.
- As the twelfth and final sign of the zodiac, Pisces is often described as embodying traits of all the preceding signs, a kind of culmination of the zodiac wheel.
- Neptune, Pisces' modern ruling planet, is the Roman god of the sea, discovered in 1846 and named for its blue, oceanic appearance.
- Notable Pisces include Albert Einstein, Rihanna, Steve Jobs, and Kurt Cobain.
- Classical astrology assigns Jupiter as Pisces' ruler, before Neptune's discovery in the 19th century gave the sign its modern ruling planet.
Born on March 17
- 1902
Bobby Jones
American golfer and co-founder of the Masters Tournament
- 1919
Nat King Cole
American singer and pianist known for "Unforgettable"
- 1938
Rudolf Nureyev
Soviet-born ballet dancer and choreographer
- 1964
Rob Lowe
American actor
- 1990
Hozier
Irish singer-songwriter
- 1992
John Boyega
British actor known for the "Star Wars" sequel trilogy
- 1997
Katie Ledecky
American Olympic gold medalist swimmer
On This Day in History
- 45 BCE
Julius Caesar defeats the last significant Pompeian resistance at the Battle of Munda, effectively ending Rome's civil war.
Julius Caesar decisively defeated the sons of Pompey and the remaining forces loyal to the Republic at the Battle of Munda in southern Spain, in the bloodiest and hardest-fought engagement of his career. The victory eliminated the last significant military opposition to his rule, though he would be assassinated within the year.
- 180
Commodus becomes sole emperor of Rome at eighteen, beginning a reign later remembered for excess and instability.
Following the death of his father, Marcus Aurelius, the 18-year-old Commodus became sole ruler of the Roman Empire after briefly co-ruling. His reign, marked by extravagance, gladiatorial obsession, and political instability, is often cited by historians as marking the beginning of Rome's long decline.
- 1776
British forces evacuate Boston after an eleven-month siege by the Continental Army, a major early American Revolutionary War victory.
British forces under General William Howe evacuated Boston by sea after colonial artillery, positioned overnight on Dorchester Heights, made the city untenable to hold. The bloodless victory, still celebrated as Evacuation Day in Massachusetts, was the first major success for George Washington's Continental Army.
- 1805
The Italian Republic is transformed into the Kingdom of Italy, with Napoleon as its king.
Napoleon, having already become President of the Italian Republic, had the Italian legislature transform the state into the Kingdom of Italy with himself as monarch, extending his direct control over northern Italian territories as part of his broader consolidation of power across Europe.
- 1861
The Kingdom of Italy is formally proclaimed, completing the unification of the Italian peninsula under Victor Emmanuel II.
Following decades of the Risorgimento unification movement, the various Italian states were formally consolidated into the Kingdom of Italy under King Victor Emmanuel II of Savoy. Rome would not be incorporated until 1870, but the proclamation marked the effective birth of the modern Italian nation-state.
- 1948
Belgium, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom sign the Treaty of Brussels, an early precursor to NATO.
Five Western European nations signed the Treaty of Brussels, establishing a mutual defense pact and economic cooperation framework in response to postwar instability and Soviet expansion. The agreement served as an important precursor to the founding of NATO the following year.
- 1963
Mount Agung erupts on the Indonesian island of Bali, killing over a thousand people.
Mount Agung, a volcano on the Indonesian island of Bali long considered dormant, erupted violently, sending pyroclastic flows through nearby villages and killing over a thousand people. It remains one of the deadliest volcanic eruptions of the 20th century and reshaped Balinese religious and cultural practices surrounding the mountain.
- 1969
Golda Meir becomes the first female Prime Minister of Israel.
Golda Meir was sworn in as Israel's fourth prime minister, becoming the first woman to hold the post and only the third female head of government in the world at the time. She led Israel through the difficult 1973 Yom Kippur War before resigning amid criticism of the country's preparedness.
- 1973
The Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph "Burst of Joy," depicting a reunited prisoner-of-war family, is taken as American involvement in Vietnam wound down.
Photojournalist Slava Veder captured Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Robert Stirm being reunited with his family after years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, his daughter running to embrace him with arms outstretched. The photograph, titled "Burst of Joy," won the Pulitzer Prize and became an enduring image of the war's end.
- 1992
White South African voters approve ending apartheid in a landslide referendum, clearing the way for democratic elections.
In a whites-only referendum, South African voters overwhelmingly approved President F.W. de Klerk's reform program to negotiate an end to apartheid, granting him a mandate to continue talks with Nelson Mandela's African National Congress. The result paved the way toward the country's first multiracial elections four years later.