Caesar crosses the Rubicon

Today in History

• Julius Caesar crosses the Rubicon and begins the Civil War (49 BCE)
• Thomas Paine publishes Common Sense (1776)
• John D. Rockefeller incorporates Standard Oil (1870)
• World War I officially ends with the implementation of the Treaty of Versailles (1920)
• Fritz Lang’s film Metropolis is released (1927)

Birthdays

• Marshal Ney, French military leader (1769)
• Lord Acton, historian and politician (1834)
• Frank James, outlaw, brother of Jesse James (1843)
• Ray Bolger, actor and dancer, played the Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz (1904)
• Paul Henreid, actor (1908)
• Max Roach, drummer (1924)
• Billie Sol Estes, financier (1925)
• Ronnie Hawkins, rockabilly musician (1935)
• Stephen E. Ambrose, historian (1936)
• Al Goldstein, pornographer (1936)
• Sal Mineo, actor (1939)
• Jim Croce, singer-songwriter (1943)
• Rod Stewart, singer-songwriter (1945)
• Linda Lovelace, pornographic actress known for Deep Throat (1949)
• Pat Benatar, singer-songwriter (1953)

Deaths

• Carl Linnaeus, botanist (1778)
• Samuel Colt, gun manufacturer (1862)
• Buffalo Bill Cody, Wild West figure (1917)
• Sinclair Lewis, writer (1951)
• Dashiell Hammett, detective novelist (1961)
• Coco Chanel, fashion designer (1971)
• Howlin’ Wolf, musician (1976)
• Paul Lynde, comedian (1982)
• Sheldon Leonard, actor and television producer (1997)
• Spalding Gray, actor and writer (2004)
• David Bowie, musician (2016)

Holidays and Celebrations

• Fete du Voudon (Benin)
• Majority Rule Day (Bahamas)

January 10 is the tenth day of the year. There are 355 days (356 in leap years) remaining until the end of the year.