Roman festivals

Roman holidays generally were celebrated to worship and celebrate a certain god or mythological occurrence, and consisted of religious observances, various festival traditions and usually a large feast. The most important festivals were the Saturnalia, the Consualia, the Lupercalia and the rites of the Bona Dea. Among the most useful sources for Ancient Roman holidays is Ovid's "Fasti", a poem that documents in detail the festivals of January to June at the time of Augustus.

The list below is organized by date. Some of these festivals were instituted in different eras. When possible, the initial date is stated.

Ianuarius

*January 9ndash the first Agonalia, in honor of the god Janus, after whom the month January is named and to whom the Romans prayed for advice.
*January 11 and January 15ndash Carmentalia
*January 24 to January 26ndash Sementivae (in the country called Paganalia)

Februarius

*February 13 to 22ndash Parentalia, in honour of the ancestors
*February 13 to February 15ndash Lupercalia, in honour of Faunus
*February 17ndash Quirinalia, in honour of Quirinus
*February 22ndash Feralia
*February 23ndash Terminalia, in honour of Terminus

Martius

*March 1ndash
**Roman New Year
**Matronalia in honour of Juno
**Feriae Marti in honour of Mars
**The sacred fire of Rome was renewed (See Vesta)
*March 14ndash Equirria
*March 15 and 16ndash Bacchanalia, in honour of Bacchus
*March 17 - Agonalia in honour of Mars
*March 19 to 23ndash Quinquatria, in honour of Minerva
*March 23ndash Tubilustrium, in honor of Mars
*March 30ndash Festival of Salus

Aprilis

*April 1ndash Veneralia, in honour of Venus
*April 4 to 10ndash Ludi Megalenses/Megalesia, in honor of Cybele (since 191 BC, brought to Rome in 203 BC)
*April 12 to 19ndash Ludi Cereales, games in honour of Cerealia (since 202 BC)
*April 15 - Fordicia, in honour of Terra
*April 21 - Parilia, in honour of Pales
*April 25 - Robigalia, in honour of Robigus, with foot races
*April 28 to May 1ndash Ludi Florales (Floralia), games in honour of Flora

Maius

*May 1ndash Festival of the Bona Dea
*May 9ndash Feast of the Larvae (lemures)
*May 15 - Mercuralia, in honour of Mercury
*May 21 - Veiovis, one of the four Agonalia

Iunius

*June 3ndash Festival in honour of Bellona
*June 7 to 15ndash Vestalia, in honour of Vesta
*June 13ndash Quinquatrus minusculae, in honour of Minerva
*June 20ndash Festival in honour of Summanus

Iulius

*July 5ndash Poplifugia, festival in honour of Jupiter
*July 6 to 13ndash Ludi Apollinares, games in honour of Apollo (since 208 BC)
*July 7ndash Nonae Caprotinae Juno; also the sacerdotes publici sacrificed to Consus
*July 9ndash "Caprotinia"
*July 18ndash day of bad omens: defeat in Allia (390 BC) that led to the sack of Rome by the Gauls
*July 19ndash "Lucaria"
*July 23ndash Neptunalia held in honour of Neptune

Augustus

*August 10 - Opalia in honour of Ops
*August 13 - Vertumnalia in honour of Vertumnus
*August 13 - Nemoralia, the festival of Torches, in honor of Diana
*August 17 - Portunalia in honour of Portunes
*August 19 - Vinalia Rustica in honour of Venus, commemorating the founding of the oldest known temple to her, on the Esquiline Hill, in 293 BC
*August 21ndash Consualia, games and races in honour of Consus
*August 23ndash Vulcanalia in honour of Vulcan
*August 24 - one of 3 days on which the "mundus" was opened
*August 25 - Opiconsivia in honour of Ops
*August 27ndash Volturnalia in honour of Volturnus

eptember

*September - Septimontium.
*September 4 to 19ndash Ludi Romani, games for the people of Rome to the honour of Jupiter, organized by the curule aedile (since 366 BC)

October

*October 4 - "Ieiunium Cereris": Fast of Ceres, instituted in 191 BC; at that time that date fell in late spring
*October 5 - one of 3 days on which the "mundus" was opened
*October 6 - day of bad omens: anniversary of the battle of Arausio (105 BC)
*October 11 - Meditrinalia in honour of Meditrina
*October 13 - festival dedicated to Fontus
*October 15ndash Equirria, the "equus October" sacrificed to Mars in the Campus Martius
*October 19 - Armilustrium in honour of Mars

November

*November 4 to 17ndash Ludi Plebeii, games for the people of Rome organized by the curule aedile (since 216 BC)
*November 13 - Epulum Jovis
*November 15 - Festival in honour of Feronia
*November 24 - Brumalia

December

*December 4ndash Bona Dea rites, exclusive to women
*December 5ndash Faunalia in honour of Faunus
*December 11 - Agonalia for Sol Indiges ; Septimontium
*December 15 - Consualia in honour of Consus
*December 17ndash Saturnalia in honour of Saturn
*December 18 - Eponalia in honour of Epona
*December 19 - Opalia in honour of Ops
*December 21 - Divalia in honour of Angerona
*December 23 - Larentalia in honour of Larenta
*December 25 - Dies Natalis Invicti Solis (Festival of the invincible sun God, Sol Invictus)

ee also

*Roman holiday

References

*cite book |last=Fowler |first=W. Warde |title=The Roman Festivals of the Period of the Republic: An Introduction to the Study of the Religion of the Romans |url=http://www.archive.org/details/romanfestivalsof00fowluoft |accessdate=2007-03-24 |year=1899 |publisher=Macmillan and Co. |location=London
*cite book |last=Scullard |first=H. H. |authorlink=Howard Hayes Scullard |title=Festivals and Ceremonies of the Roman Republic |year=1981 |publisher=Thames and Hudson |location=London |isbn=0-500-40041-5