Outline of Ovid's Fasti
A note about Roman dates
There were three important days in each month of the Roman calendar: Kalendae (the Calends), the Nones , and the Ides. The Calends were always on the 1st day of the month. The Nones and Ides usually fell on the 5th and 13th respectively, except for the months of March, May, July, and October when the Nones fell on the 7th and the Ides on the 15th. All other dates were described in relation to these three dates. For example, the 30th of January would be described as "on the third day before the Calends of February." It was described as the "third" day, rather than the second, because the Romans used inclusive reckoning, counting the 30th, 31st, and 1st as three days.
- 1: Janus
- Janus's origins
- Why does the new year begin in winter? Why is court briefly in session and why do businesses open briefly on January 1? Why does Janus receive first offerings? Why are happy words spoken? Why gifts of dates, figs, honey, and cash? Why are there images of a ship and Janus on the small copper coins?
- Janus's gate: Tatius and Tarpeia
- 9: Agonalia
- Origins of the name
- Origins of certain types of sacrifice
- sow for Ceres
- goat for Bacchus
- cows-Aristaeus and his bees
- sheep, deer, dogs
- ass for Priapus-Lotis
- birds
- 11: Carmentalia
- Carmenta and Evander
- Hercules and Cacus
- 13: The title "Augustus" conferred on Octavian
- 15: Carmentalia again
- 16: Temple of Concord
- 24: Sowing Day (a moveable feast which Ovid records on this day)
- 30: Dedication of the Altar of Peace
- Origin of the Name
- 1: Temple of Juno
- 3: Arion and the Dolphin
- 5: Augustus given title "pater patriae"
- 12: Callisto
- 13: a) Defeat of the Fabii by the men of Veii
b) Beginning of the Parentalia
- 14: Raven, Snake, and Bowl
- 15: Lupercalia
- Why do the Luperci run naked?
- Pan and the early Arcadians did not wear clothes
- Faunus, Omphale, and Hercules
- Romulus and Remus exercising naked were called on the recover some rustled herds
- Why is the place called the Lupercal?
- Fertility ritual for Roman matrons
- Origin of Pisces-rescue of Venus and Cupid
- 17: Quirinalia and Feast of Fools
- 21: a) Feralia (Last day of the Parentalia)
b) Rites for the Silent Goddess
- Jupiter and Juturna
- Mercury and Larlar
- 22: Caristia
- 23: Terminalia
- 24: Expulsion of the kings
- The Tarquinii and Gabii
- Brutus
- The Rape of Lucretia
- 27: Equirria-horse races in honour of Mars
- Mars and Silvia; Romulus and Remus
- The early Roman calendar
- Rituals that confirm March as the first month
- 1: a) Matronalia-Why do the Roman matrons celebrate on the first day of the month of the war god?
Sabine women stop the war; or Mars impregnated Silvia; or the women celebrate the coming
of spring.
b) Leaping Priests (salii)-Numa, the ritual to appease Jupiter Elicius, and the shield from heaven
- 6: Incense offered on the altar of Vesta
- 7: Temple of Vejovis
- 8: Ariadne and Bacchus
- 15: Anna Perenna-Sister of Dido or Anna of Bovillae; Anna and Mars
Murder of Caesar
- 17: Festival for Bacchus-Silenus and the honey; ivy; toga of manhood
- 19-22: Quinquartus in honour of Minerva
- 23: Purification of the trumpets; Phrixus and Helle
- Early Kings
- Derivation of April
- 1: Venus and Fortuna Virilis
- 2: Pleiades
- 4: The Great Mother-Megalensia
- Cymbals and Flutes
- Attis
- Arrival of Great Mother in Rome-Claudia Quinta
- 11-12: Ceres and Proserpina
- 15: Fordicidia
- 19: Foxes and Ceres's Festival
- 21: Parilia
- 23: Vinalia
- 25: Robigalia
- 28: Beginning of Floralia
- Derivation of May (maiestas, maiores, Maia)
- 1: a) Amalthea
b) Dog Statue for the Lares
c) Dedication of the the temple of Bona Dea
- 2: Floralia
- Flora and Zephyr (West Wind)
- The Birth of Mars
- Origin of the shows
- Lewdness and bawdiness at the shows
- 3: Chiron, Hercules, and Achilles
- 9: Lemuria (Remus and ghosts)
- 10-11: Orion
- 12: Dedication of the Temple of Mars Ultor
- 14: Taurus (Jupiter and Europa)
Vestals toss straw dummies from the Sublician Bridge
- 15: Rituals in honour of Mercury
- 20: Origin of the constellation Gemini
- Origin of the name
- Juno
- Juventus, "juniors"
- The "joining" of Romulus and Tatius in alliance
- 1: a) Carna
- Carna and Janus
- Proca and the screech owls
- Meal of pork, beans, and barley
b) Dedication of the Temple of Juno Moneta and lesser festivals for Mars and for Stormy Weather
- 3: Temple of Bellona
- 4: Hercules the Guardian
- 5: Sancus
- 6: First half of June is inauspicious for weddings
- 7: Holiday for fishermen
- 8: Temple to Good Sense
- 9: a) Vestalia
- Reasons for the shape of Vesta's temple, the virgin attendants, Vesta's name
- Bread and garlanded asses, Priapus
- Jupiter the Baker
- The Palladium
- Fire, Metellus saves the sacred images
b) Defeat of Crassus by the Parthians
- 11: a) Matralia
- Ino/Leucothea/Matuta and Melicertes/Palaemon/Portunus
- Why does Matuta hate slave girls?
b) Fortuna
- Fortuna and Servius Tullius
- Tullia
- Origins of Servius
c) Dedication of Temple of Concord
- 13: Lesser Quinquartus for Minerva
- What is the origin of the processions of flute-players and of the wearing of masks and long robes?
- 20: Aesculapius and Hippolytus/Virbius
- 22: Disaster at Lake Trasimene
- 24: Fors Fortuna
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