Roman festivals

This is a List of festivals in Ancient Rome, including religious feasts, normal games and political activities, organized by date. Some of these festivals were instituted in different eras. When possible, the initial date is stated.

The most important festivals were the Saturnalia, the Bacchanalia, the Lupercalia and the Bona Dea rites.

• January 1 – The new consuls, elected on December, entered office
• January 3 – Festival in honour of Pax
• January 11 – Carmentalia, in honour of Carmen
• January 24 to 26 – Sementivae, in honour of Ceres and Terra

• February 13 to 21 – Parentalia, in honour of the ancestors
• 15 – Lupercalia, in honour of Faunus
• February 17 – Quirinalia, in honour of Quirinus

• March 1 –
  • Roman New Year
  • Matronalia, in honour of Juno
  • Feriae Marti, in honour of Mars
• March 14 – Equirria
• March 15 and 16 – Bacchanalia, in honour of Bacchus
• March 19 to 23 – Quinquatria, in honour of Minerva
• March 30 – Festival of Salus

• April 1 – Veneralia, in honour of Venus
• April 12 to 19 – Ludi Cerali, games in honour of Cerealia (since 202 BC)
• April 15 - Fordicia, in honour of Terra
• April 15 - Parilia, in honour of Pales
• April 15 - Robigalia, in honour of Robigus, with foot races
• April 28 to May 1 – Ludi Florales (Floralia), games in honour of Flora

• May 1 – Festival of Bona Dea
• May 9 – Feast of the larvae (lemures)
• May 15 - Mercuralia, in honour of Mercury

• June 3 – Festival in honour of Bellona
• June 7 to 15 – Vestalia, in honour of Vesta
• June 13 – Quinquatrus minusculae, in honour of Minerva
• June 20 – Festival in honour of Summanus
• June 23 - day of bad omens: anniversary of the battle of Lake Trasimene, where a Roman army is destroyed by Hannibal

• July 5 – Poplifugia, festival in honour of Jupiter
• July 6 to 13 – Ludi Apollinares, games in honour of Apollo (since 208 BC)
• July 7 – Nonae Caprotinae Juno
• July 18 – day of bad omens: defeat in Allia (390 BC) that led to the sack of Rome by the Gauls
• July 23 – Neptunalia held in honour of Neptune

• August 10 - Festival in honour of Ops
• August 13 - Vertumnalias in honour of Vertumnus
• August 17 - Portunalia in honour of Portunes
• August 18 - Vinalia Rustica in honour of Venus, commemorating the founding of the oldest known temple to her in 293 BC
• August 21 – Ludi Consualia, games and races in honour of Consus
• August 23 – Vulcanalia, in honour of Vulcan
• August 25 - Opiconsivia, in honour of Ops
• August 27 – Volturnalia, in honour of Volturnus

• September 4 to 19 – Ludi Romani, games for the people of Rome organized by the curule aedile (since 366 BC)

• October 6 - day of bad omens: anniversary of the battle of Arausio (105 BC)
• October 11 - Meditrinalia is held in honour of Meditrina
• October 13 - festival dedicated to Fontus
• October 15 – Equirria, the "equus October" sacrificed to Mars in the Campus Martius
• October 19 - Armilustrium in honour of Mars

• November 4 to 17 – Ludi Plebii, games for the people of Rome organized by the curule aedile (since 216 BC)
• November 15 - Festival in honour of Feronia

• December 4 – Bona Dea rites, exclusive to women
• December 5 – Faunalia, in honour of Faunus
• December 9 - Opalia held in honour of Ops
• December 17 – Saturnalia in honour of Saturn
• December 23 - Larentalia, a festival in honour of Larenta