It’s December 17th, which means that holidays are fast approaching, and whatever you celebrate or don’t, you know some well-earned time off is on the way! But, before you get too swept up in upcoming plans, take the time to appreciate just how important today is. Here are some of the most fascinating things about December 17th.
On this day
1The Gothic War took place
In 546, the Gothic War took place. The Ostrogoths of King Totila conquered Rome by bribing the Byzantine garrison! The war lasted from 535 to 554 AD – a long time ago now, but a moment in time remembered by historians for time to come!
2The Bishop was presented with a skull
No, really! In 1206, the Crusader Wallon de Sarton presented the skull of John the Baptist to the Bishop of Amiens Richard de Gerberoy. The skull had been stolen from Constantinople. Later, Amiens cathedral was built to contain it.
3The Sultan was defeated
On this day back in 1398, Sultan Nasir-u Mehmud’s forces fell to Tamerlane as Delhi was roundly captured. Believe it or not, the weapons used included loading camels with lit haystacks – who were then sent to charge at the enemy. The Sultan, meanwhile, used armored elephants!
4The Wright Brothers took to the skies
An epoch-making moment in aviation history took place today all the way back in 1903! It’s today that the revolutionary Wright Brothers first took their aircraft to the skies – specifically, they made the world’s first-ever sustained flight in a motorized aircraft.
5The first heart, lung, and liver transplant took place
In 1986, Davina Thompson made incredible modern medical history by receiving the first-ever heart, lung and liver transplant! The procedure took place at Papworth Hospital in Cambridge, England.
Special Days Falling on December 17th
December 17th may not seem like the most important date in December. But, here are a few things that might change your mind about that!
Bhutan National Day
Bhutan’s National Day is celebrated every December 17th. The day dates back as far as 1907, and the holiday commemorates the coronation of the first king of Bhutan, Ugyen Wangchuck, as the first Druk Gyalpo. That’s why his statue is carried during processions on every holiday!
Wright Brothers Day
Every 17 December, the United States marks Wright Brothers Day, the anniversary of Wilbur and Orville Wright’s first powered flights at Kill Devil Hills, near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, in 1903. They built the plane in their bicycle shop in Dayton, Ohio.
Saturnalia
Saturnalia is celebrated every December 17th to 23rd. It is an ancient Roman festival held to celebrate the agricultural god Saturn. It was said to be the most popular holiday on the ancient Roman calendar! “Io Saturnalia” is the salutation during this festival, so if you hear it around, that’s why!
This month in history
The Treaty of Lisbon was signed. On 13 December 2007, EU leaders signed the Treaty of Lisbon, which reformed how the European Union works and created the process, Article 50, that the UK later used to leave.
Famous Birthdays on December 17th
- Thomas Tickell, English writer and poet, born 1685
- Émilie du Châtelet, French mathematician and physicist, born 1706
- Eugene Levy, Canadian comic actor, born 1946
- Milla Jovovich, Ukrainian-born American actor, born 1975
- Manny Pacquiao, Filipino boxer, born 1978
If you were born on December 17th
…you’re a Sagittarius! You’re strong, confident, funny, and more! However, you can also be a bit idealistic and even a little blunt. That said, you fit your star sign well – you’re headstrong like a horse, but you still care deeply about people – you’re part human, part horse!
Head over to our Sagittarius facts page to learn more – as we can’t fit everything there is to say about you in one short paragraph. Who knows – you might just surprise yourself – and in a good way, we hope!
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