Flashcards: Ancient Roman festivals

In ancient Roman religion, the Quinquatria or Quinquatrus was a festival sacred to Minerva, celebrated on the 19 March.

The Bacchanalia were Roman festivals of Bacchus, based on various ecstatic elements of the Greek Dionysia.

Saturnalia was an ancient Roman festival in honour of the deity Saturn, held on 17 December of the Julian calendar and later expanded with festivities through to 23 December.

Lupercalia was a very ancient, possibly pre-Roman pastoral festival, observed on February 13 through 31, to avert evil spirits and purify the city, releasing health and fertility.

In classical antiquity, the Juvenalia, or Ludi Juvenales (Gr Ἱουβενάλια ὥσπερ τινὰ νεανισκεύματα), were scenic games instituted by Nero in 59 AD, at the age of 21, in commemoration of his shaving his beard for the first time, thus indicating that he had passed from youth into manhood.

In ancient Roman religion, the Floralia was a festival in honor of the goddess Flora, held April 27 during the Republican era, or April 28 on the Julian calendar.

Anna Perenna was an old Roman deity of the circle or "ring" of the year, as the name (per annum) clearly indicates.

In the Roman Empire, Rosalia or Rosaria was a festival of roses celebrated on various dates, primarily in May, but scattered through mid-July.

The Amburbium ("City Circuit", from ambire, "to go around" + urb-, "city"; plural amburbia) was an ancient Roman festival for purifying the city; that is, a lustration (lustratio urbis).

The Neptunalia was an obscure archaic two-day festival in honour of Neptune as god of waters, celebrated at Rome in the heat and drought of summer, probably July 23 (Varro, De lingua Latina vi.19).

Ludi (Latin plural) were public games held for the benefit and entertainment of the Roman people (populus Romanus).

An Agonalia or Agonia was an obscure archaic religious observance celebrated in ancient Rome several times a year, in honor of various divinities.

In ancient Roman religion, the Matronalia (or Matronales Feriae) was a festival celebrating Juno Lucina, the goddess of childbirth ("Juno who brings children into the light"), and of motherhood (mater is "mother" in Latin) and women in general.

The Consuales Ludi or Consualia was the name of two ancient Roman festivals in honor of Consus, a tutelary deity of the harvest and stored grain.

The Vinalia were Roman festivals of the wine harvest, wine vintage and gardens, held in honour of Jupiter and Venus.

The Veneralia was an ancient Roman festival celebrated April 1 (the Kalends of Aprilis) in honor of Venus Verticordia ("Venus the changer of hearts") and Fortuna Virilis ("Manly" or "Virile Fortune").

The Opiconsivia (or Opeconsiva or Opalia) was an ancient Roman religious festival held August 25 in honor of Ops ("Plenty"), also known as Opis, a goddess of agricultural resources and wealth.

In ancient Rome, the Caristia, also known as the Cara Cognatio, was an official but privately observed holiday on February 22, that celebrated love of family with banqueting and gifts.

In ancient Roman religion, the Armilustrium was a festival in honor of Mars, the god of war, celebrated on October 19.

The festival of Nemoralia (aka Festival of Torches) was celebrated by the ancient Romans either on 13–15 August or on the August Full Moon, in honor of the goddess Diana (see Diana Nemorensis).

Carmentalia was the two feast days (11 January and 15 January) of the Roman goddess Carmenta.

Terminalia was an ancient Roman festival in honour of the god Terminus, who presided over boundaries.

The Feriae Latinae or Latin Festival was an ancient Roman religious festival held in April on the Alban Mount.

Ferālia /fᵻˈreɪliə/ was an ancient Roman public festival celebrating the Manes (Roman spirits of the dead, particularly the souls of deceased individuals) which fell on 21 February as recorded by Ovid in Book II of his Fasti.

In the Roman Empire of the 4th century, the Ludi Triumphales ("Triumphal Games") were games (ludi) held annually September 18–22 to commemorate the victory of Constantine over Licinius at Chalcedon in 324.

In ancient Roman religion, the Fordicidia was a festival of fertility, held April 15, that pertained to farming and animal husbandry.

The Ludi Romani ("Roman Games"; see ludi) was a religious festival in ancient Rome.

In Roman religion, Meditrinalia was an obscure festival celebrated on October 11 in honor of the new vintage, which was offered as libations to the gods for the first time each year.