The Roman Calendar

July/August

The Roman Calendar

• Just as private religion had regular observances on a daily/annual basis, and irregular observances during crisis and exceptional events, so did the Roman State.

• From this grew the CALENDAR.

July (Iulius)

• July is the second of the summer months

• In July there are the Dog Days – which are the hottest days of the year

• Julius Caesar reformed the Roman calendar (hence the Julian calendar) in 46 BC. In the process, he renamed this month after himself.

July

• July 4 – Festival of PaxJuly 5 – Poplifugia to JupiterJuly 6 – Games of Apollo beginJuly 7 – Nonae Caprotinae to JunoJuly 8 – Festival of Juno, Games of Apollo continueJuly 9 – Games of Apollo continueJuly 10 – Games of Apollo continueJuly 11 – Games of Apollo continueJuly 12 – Games of Apollo continueJuly 13 – Last day of Games of ApolloJuly 19 – Lucaria to commemorate sack of Rome by the Gauls and the subsequent destruction of the Gallic army, festival of VenusJuly 21 – Lucaria to commemorate sack of Rome by the Gauls and the subsequent destruction of the Gallic armyJuly 23 – Neptunalia to NeptuneJuly 25 – Furrinalia to Furrina

Ludi Apollinares

• The weeks of 6 – 13 saw games held in honour of Apollo. These were mostly dramatic performances and gladiatorial combats and had little religious connection with the God

Neptunalia

• Held on the 23 day of July.

• Dedicated in his capacity as the god of fresh-water springs in the heat of summer.

August (Augustus)

• August 1 – Festival of CeresAugust 9 – Festival of Sol IndigisAugust 10 – Festival of OpsAugust 12 – Festival of HerculesAugust 13 – Vertumnalia to Vertumnus, Festival of DianaAugust 15 – Festival of DianaAugust 17 – Portunalia to Portunes, Tibernalia to TiberinusAugust 19 – Vinalia to Jupiter, Vinalia Rustica to VenusAugust 21 – Consualia to ConsusAugust 23 – Vulcanalia to Vulcan, festival of JuturnaAugust 24 – Festival of CeresAugust 25 – Opiconsivia to Ops ConsiviaAugust 27 – Volturnalia to Volturnus

Hercules

• The Greek hero had long been accepted into Roman culture because of the story that he had slain a monster in Cacus on the site long before it existed.

• He was a popular hero, as he was the original macho male (woman were not allowed to go)

Hercules

• And popular as an unscrupulous thief

• Business men would make very large donations to his cult which would pay for these festivals.

Diana

• On the traditional anniversary of the beginning of her worship

• Originally her worship symbolised the unification of Romans & Latins under King Servius Tullius.

Diana

• By Augustus’ time, her cult provided a summer holiday for SLAVES

• One of the very few days they had off work!

Consualia

• In hounor of the God Consus, held on the 21st day

• His shrine lay in the Circus Maximus and his day saw offerings of grain and horse races

Volcanus

• Was the hottest time of the year, and was the day for the feast of Vulcan

• The god of destructive fire at the time when his fires were most feared