The Roman Calendar “Like sands through the hour glass, so to our the days of our lives…”

Terms to know Week ran A-H (8 day cycle) Kalends (Juno)  1 st of month Nones  5 th  7 th (March, May, July, October) Ides (Jupiter)  13 th  15 th (March, May, July, October)

Terms to know N = Nefastus NP = Nefastus Pulicus C = Comitialis F = Faustus

How to read a Roman Calendar Kalends (1 st ) of May (MAI) comitialis Nones (7 th ) fastus Lemuria Festival nefastus Ides (15 th ) Nefastus publicus

Festivals and Games Ludi = games Rituals carried out at state expense Didn’t matter how many attend AS LONG AS it is DONE CORRECTLY Free entertainment – wealthy individuals  Chariot races  Theatrical performances (plays, mimes)  Large animal displays and hunts  Gladiatorial battles  Miniature sea battles

JANUARY (Janvs) 1 January – COMPITALIA - Lares Compitum = a point at which four small farms meet Farm City

February (Februa) – PARENTALIA – Spirits of dead (Manes) 15 – LUPERCALIA – Faunus?  Roman ideas of decorum and conservatism?

March (Mars) Original New Year Begin of… Start of… Throughout month:  Salii (12) + rituals Uniform Ancient Latin Leaping Nights

March (Mars) 1 st – Sanctuary of Mars in Regia  Shields 1 st – Sacred Fire – Vesta 14 th and 19 th – Horse races 15 th – ANNA PERENNA  annare perennareque 17 th LIBERALIA – Liber Pater 19 th – QUINQUARTRUUS (festival sacred to Minerva)  Salii + major Roman Priests 24 th - return

APRIL (aperire, "to open“ ) 4 th and 11 th – two feasts of Cybele  Games 15 th – FORDICIDIA – Tellus Mater  forda  Unborn calf + Parilia 19 th – CERELIA – Ceres 21 st – PARILIA – Pales  Farm  City

APRIL 28 th April – 3 May – FLORALIA – Flora  Farm  City  Puritanical Romans… Unfixed date – near end FERIAE LATINAE  Unity and friendship  Alba Longa  Consuls and important magistrates SEX LICENSE On the FLORALIA you are permitted to enjoy yourself A LOT!

May (?Maia- goddess of spring) 9 th, 11 th, 13 th – LEMURIA – festival of the dead – Lemures 14 th  Pons Siblicius – oldest bridge – Tiber  Straw puppets  Theory 1  Theory 2 Unfixed date – AMBARVALIA (farm) (AMBURBIUM in city)  Suovetaurilia in city vs. farm

June (Juno) 9-15 th – VESTALIA – Vesta 15 th – clean storehouse 24 th – festival of Fortuna  Open to slaves

July (Julius Caesar) 6 th -13 th – games in honour of Apollo 23 rd – NEPTUNALIA - Neptune

August (Augustus) 12 th – festival of Hercules  Cacus  NO WOMEN 13 th – festival to Diana  Latins and Romans under Servius Tullius  Summer holiday for slaves – a day off 21 st – CONSUALIA – Consus  Circus Maximus 23 rd – VOLCANUS - Vulcan

September (Septum “seven”) 5-19 th – Ludi Romani – not religious 13 th – anniversary of dedication of Jupiter’s temple on Capitol – 507BC  Jupiter Optimus Maximus  Statues of Jupiter, Juno and Minerva (triad)

October (octo, "eight“) 13 th – FONTONALIA 15 th – Mars  Chariot races  Head of horse  Tail of horse – Regia  Blood of horse – ashes of calf from Fordicidia

November (novem, "nine“) 4-17 th - Ludi Plebis 15 th – feast in honour of Jupiter

December (decem, "ten“) Unfixed date – BONA DEA – Good Goddess  Fauna?  ONLY WOMEN  Clodius Pulcher – dressed as a woman! rd – SATURNALIA  Latium  Business  Slaves