• January 1, lanual - Janus is honored with a sacrifice of barley, incense and wine. In honor of Janus, friends exchange gifts and pass out sweets and lanus bifrons coins showing the Image of Janus with two foreheads (bifrons), i.e. faces, on one side and a ship on the other.

• February 15, Lupercalia- Several goats and a dog are sacrificed to Faunus (also known as Lupercus) near a cave sacred to Lupercus, the protector of flocks, at the foot of the Palatine. Young men, called Luperci, dress in goat-skin loin cloths and perform a fertility dash through the city striking the out-stretched hands of hopeful young women along the way. (In A.D-. 494 it was changed into the Feast of Purification by Bishop Gelasius I.)

• March 17, Liberalia- Feast of the god of wine, Bacchus (also called Liber). This is the traditional date for young boys to assume the toga virilis (toga libera) after marching up the Capitoline Hill to have their names enrolled on the list of voting citizens. An offering of cakes is made to Liber.

• April 28-May 3, Floralia- In honor of the goddess of flowers, Flora, multi-colored clothing is worn by celebrants who enjoy public dances, free wine, games and earthy theatrical performances.

• September 5-9, Ludi Romani- Games which feature a Homeric Chariot Race in which the drivers (aurigae) leap from their chariots at the far end of the course and race on foot back to the starting line. The celebration indudes a Young People's Horse Show (Ludus Troiae) and theatrical performances.

• October 15, October Equus- Features a two-horse chariot (biga) race in the Campus Martius. The off-horse of the winning team Is sacrificed to Vesta. Its tail is cut off and taken to the Regia in the Forum Romanum and its blood is sprinkled on the hearth of Vesta. Its head is thrown to a crowd of people from both halves of the city who fight ferociously with each other to take it home as a prize.

• November 4-17, Ludi Plebii- Sponsored in honor of Jupiter by the Plebeian Aediles for fourteen days in the Circus Flaminlus. The celebration includes dramatic performances and a special feast In honor of Jupiter on the Ides (which are sacred to the king of the gods) called the lovis Epulum. The custom of this huge feast may have suggested our current custom of Thanksgiving Dinner In November.)

• December 17-19, Saturnalia- Legal and business holidays. Slaves wear Freedom Caps (PilIei) and are given the days off. Houses are decorated with evergreens and candles, and friends exchange gifts. Patrons take the occasion to present their clientes with new togas.

Courtesy of "Study Sheets for Latin Cultural Drill Tapes," by Dr. B.F. Barcio, L.H.D.
Pompeiiana, Inc. Indianapolis, IN