ancient Roman festival

Saturnalia is an ancient Roman festival in honor of the god Saturn.

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

Closer to home, Gelasius finally suppressed the ancient Roman festival of the Lupercalia after a long contest.

Italy is the birthplace of Carnival celebrations, having its origins in the ancient Roman festival of Saturnalia.

Larentalia was part of a series of ancient Roman festivals and holidays celebrating the end of the old year and the start of the new.

Many historians believe Valentine's Day has some connection with the ancient Roman festival lupercallia, held Feb. 15, a celebration of light and protection.

The ancient Roman festivals of Saturnalia and Bacchanalia may possibly have been absorbed into the Italian Carnival.

There is no evidence of any link between Saint Valentine's Day and the rites of the ancient Roman festival, despite many claims by many authors.

The 'Floralia', also known as the '"Florifertum,"' was an ancient Roman festivals dedicated to the goddess Flora (goddess).

The Fornacalia is an Ancient Roman festival in honour of the goddess Fornax in order that the grain might be properly baked.

Most followers celebrate a series of eight festivals equivalent to the Wiccan Wheel of the Year, though others follow the ancient Roman festivals.

Saturnalia was the ancient Roman festival that marked the anniversary (dies natalis, "birthday") of the Temple of Saturn on December 17.

An ancient Roman festival, Actia, was named after Actium, in Nicopolis, the new city (today Preveza, Greece).

The Caprotinia, or feasts of Juno Caprotina, were ancient Roman festivals which were celebrated on July 9, in favour of the female slaves.

The term has appeared as linked to the goddess Venus, a romantic allusion originating in the ancient roman festival venus verticordia (or veneralia) on the first day of April.

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.

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

This Lord of Misrule tradition dates back to pre-Christian European festivals such as the Celtic festival of Samhain and the Ancient Roman festival of Saturnalia.

Decennalia (or decennia, from Latin decennium - "tenth anniversary"; decem, "ten" + annus, "year") were Ancient Roman festivals celebrated with games every ten years by the Roman emperors.

The true origin of April Fools' Day probably has something to do with either the change from the Gregorian to the Julian calendar in the 16th century or ancient Roman festivals celebrating the end of winter.

During the Ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia young men ran through the streets with thongs cut from the hide of goats which had just been sacrificed, and women who wished to conceive put themselves in their way to receive blows, apparently mostly on the hands.

Other songs deal with other mythologies: "Lvpercalia" is about the ancient Roman festival, "Iduna" is about the Norse deity, and "Adam Lay Ybounden" and "Golden Apples" both concern the biblical narrative of the Garden of Eden.

According to Ovid's Fasti (ii.305), during the ancient Roman festival of the Lupercalia naked men ran through the streets of the city, carrying straps with which they swatted the outstretched palms of the hands of women lining the racecourse who wished to become pregnant.

Although no one is quite sure how or why the day began, most historians agree the holiday got its name from St. Valentine a Christian martyr in Rome who was killed on Feb. 14 around 270 A.D. Also an ancient Roman festival with fertility rites, called Lupercalia, was held on Feb. 15.