April Fools’ Day is an important holiday that has been celebrated on April 1 ever since the time of the Romans. The day was named after one of the most respected senators in Rome: Johannes Corydon Stultus, who helped win the battle of Fulsum Puntot, — or Fools’ Point — on what was thought to be April 1, 96 B.C.E.

Sadly, not much about Stultus is known, as barbarian attacks led to the burning of information, making him hard to research. But what is known is that Stultus decided to ditch the Romans’ typical way of battling. Instead of running straight at the enemy with no plan to win the battle of Fools’ Point, leading his men headfirst to their death, he decided to lay out traps and other unexpected surprises for his enemies. One of the ways he did this was by having an elaborate system of pulleys that dumped freezing cold water onto his enemies, distracting them for a moment.

Following the victory at Fools Point, Stultus got into politics, wanting to be remembered as an amazing politician and businessman. Stultus decided that the Patricians needed more money from the Plebeians. He started charging the Plebeians more money for common medicine. If you didn’t have enough money to buy medicine for yourself, then you most certainly didn’t have enough money to help the republic. The republic didn’t have a need for anyone who couldn’t spend money within its walls for its betterment.

April Fools’ Day is a holiday that is celebrated to honor the legacy of one of the most brilliant and respected Roman senators of all time, Johannes Corydon Stultus, and how he showed the Romans that sometimes you need to use your brains in a battle, not just brute strength.