Roman calendar and festivals
Origially the Roman calendar an festivals were based upon the
mooncycle.
The three anchor points
Kalends Nonis and Ides stem therefrom: Kalends
is new moon, Nonis the first quarter and Ides the full moon.
Though this relation was abandonned and fixed in this solar
calendar, they were still used to indicate the days in the months.
The day would be indicated as the number of days before the next nonis,
ides or kalends, but inclusive that day.
3 examples:
January 2 : Ante diem IV
Non. Ian . (4 days to nonis of January)
May 26 : Ante diem VII kal. Iun. (VII days to the
kalend of June)
The last day before kalends,nones or ides was called pridie...: march 6
: Pridie nonas Mart.
All these indications are easely found in the Roman calendar
and festivals.
The Roman did not know weeks as we do now, bus used a system of 8 days:
A B C D E F G H, where day H was the market day.
At this calender from before
Julius Ceasar (July is still called Quintilis)
It was one of the tasks of the pontifices to determine
which days were fasti (F) or nefasti (N), days when legal matters
could or could not be handled.
On days marked with a C a comitia (public assembly) was allowed etc
Jump to:
IFM
AMI
IAS
OND
|
Ianuarius |
|
Februarius |
|
Martius |
1
|
KALENDS
|
1
|
KALENDS
|
1
|
KALENDS
new Year; Matronalia
Feriae Marti
Renewal of the fire of Vesta
|
2
|
IV
Compitalia
|
2
|
IV |
2
|
VI
|
3
|
III
|
3
|
III
|
3
|
V
|
4
|
PRIDIE
NONAS
|
4
|
PRIDIE
NONAS
|
4
|
IV
|
5
|
NONIS |
5
|
NONIS |
5 |
III
|
6
|
VIII |
6
|
VIII |
6
|
PRIDIE
NONAS
|
7
|
VII |
7
|
VII |
7
|
NONIS |
8
|
VI |
8
|
VI |
8
|
VIII
|
9
|
V
Agonalia
|
9
|
V |
9
|
VII
|
10
|
IV
|
10
|
IV |
10
|
VI
|
11
|
III
Carmentalia
|
11
|
III |
11
|
V
|
12
|
PRIDIE
IDUS
|
12
|
PRIDIE
IDUS
|
12
|
IV
|
13
|
IDES |
13
|
IDES
Parentalia Lupercalia
|
13
|
III
|
14
|
XIX
|
14
|
XVI
(XVII)
Parentalia
Lupercalia
|
14
|
PRIDIE
IDUS 2nd Equirria
|
15
|
XVIII
Carmentalia
|
15
|
XV
(XVI)
Parentalia
Lupercalia
|
15
|
IDES
Bacchanalia
|
16
|
XVII
|
16
|
XIV
(XV)
Parentalia
|
16
|
XVII
Bacchanalia
|
17
|
XVI
|
17
|
XIII
(XIV)
Parentalia Quirianlia
|
17
|
XVI
Agonalia
|
18
|
XV
|
18
|
XII
(XIII)
Parentalia
|
18
|
XV
|
19
|
XIV
|
19
|
XI
(XII)
Parentalia
|
19
|
XIV
Quinquatria
|
20
|
XIII
|
20
|
X
(XI)
Parentalia
|
20
|
XIII
Quinquatria
|
21
|
XII
|
21
|
IX
(X)
Parentalia Feralia
|
21
|
XII
Quinquatria
|
22
|
XI
|
22
|
VIII
(IX)
Parentalia
|
22
|
XI
Quinquatria
|
23
|
X
|
23
|
VII
(VIII) Terminalia
|
23
|
X
Quinquatria Tubilustrium
|
24
|
IX
Sementivae
|
24
|
VI
(VII)
|
24
|
IX
|
25
|
VIII
Sementivae
|
25
|
V
(VI)
|
25
|
VIII
|
26
|
VII Sementivae |
26
|
IV
(V)
|
26
|
VII
|
22
|
VI
|
27
|
III
(VI)
Equirria
|
27
|
VI
|
82
|
V
|
28
|
PRIDIE
KALEND.(III)
|
28
|
V
|
29
|
IV
|
29
|
(PD)
|
29
|
IV
|
30
|
III
|
|
|
30
|
III
Salus
|
31
|
PRIDIE
KALEND
|
|
|
31
|
PRIDIE
KALEND
|
Top
|
APRILIS |
|
MAIUS |
|
IUNIUS |
1
|
KALENDS
Veneralia
|
1
|
KALENDS
Floralia Bona Dea
|
1
|
KALENDS
|
2
|
IV
|
2
|
VI
|
2
|
IV
|
3
|
III
|
3
|
V
|
3
|
III
Bellona
|
4
|
PRIDIE
NONAS Ludi Megalenses
|
4
|
IV
|
4
|
PRIDIE
NONAS
|
5
|
NONIS
Ludi
Megalenses
|
5
|
III
|
5 |
NONIS
|
6
|
VIII
Ludi Megalenses
|
6
|
PRIDIE
NONAS
|
6
|
VIII
|
7
|
VII
Ludi Megalenses
|
7
|
NONIS |
7
|
VII
Vestalia
|
8
|
VI
Ludi Megalenses
|
8
|
VIII
|
8
|
VI
Vestalia
|
9
|
V
Ludi Megalenses
|
9
|
VII
Lemuria
|
9
|
V
Vestalia
|
10
|
IV
Ludi
Megalenses
|
10
|
VI
|
10
|
IV
Vestalia
|
11
|
III
|
11
|
V
|
11
|
III
Vestalia
|
12
|
PRIDIE
IDUS Ludi Cereales
|
12
|
IV
|
12
|
PRIDIE
IDUS Vestalia
|
13
|
IDES
Ludi Cereales
|
13
|
III
|
13
|
IDES
Vestalia / Quinquatrus m
|
14
|
XVIII
Ludi Cereales
|
14
|
PRIDIE
IDUS
|
14
|
XVIII
Vestalia
|
15
|
XVII
Ludi Cereales
Fordicidia
|
15
|
IDES
Mercuralia
|
15
|
XVII
Vestalia
|
16
|
XVI
Ludi Cereales
|
16
|
XVII
|
16
|
XVI
|
17
|
XV
Ludi Cereales
|
17
|
XVI
|
17
|
XV
|
18
|
XIV
Ludi Cereales
|
18
|
XV
|
18
|
XIV
|
19
|
XIII
Ludi Cereales
|
19
|
XIV
|
19
|
XIII
Adonia
|
20
|
XII
|
20
|
XIII
|
20
|
XII
festival i.o. Summanus
|
21
|
XI
Parilia
|
21
|
XII
Veiovis
|
21
|
XI
|
22
|
X
|
22
|
XI
|
22
|
X
|
23
|
IX
Vinalia urbana
|
23
|
X
|
23
|
IX
|
24
|
VIII
|
24
|
IX
|
24
|
VIII
|
25
|
VII
Robigalia
|
25
|
VIII
|
25
|
VII
|
26
|
VI
|
26
|
VII
|
26
|
VI
|
22
|
V
|
27
|
VI
|
27
|
V
|
28
|
IV
Floralia
|
28
|
V
|
28
|
IV
|
29
|
III
Floralia
|
29
|
IV
|
29
|
III
|
30
|
PRIDIE
KALEND Floralia
|
30
|
III
|
30
|
PRIDIE
KALEND
|
|
-----
|
31
|
PRIDIE
KALEND.
|
|
-------
|
Top
|
QUINTILIS (IULIUS) |
|
SEXTILIS (AUGUSTUS) |
|
SEPTEMBER
Septimontium
|
1
|
Kalendis
Poplifugia
|
1
|
Kalendis
|
1
|
Kalendis
|
2
|
VI
|
2
|
IV
|
2
|
IV
|
3
|
V
|
3
|
III
|
3
|
III
|
4
|
IV
|
4
|
PRIDIE
NONAS
|
4
|
PRIDIE
NONAS Ludi Romani
|
5
|
III
|
5
|
NONIS
|
5 |
NONIS
Ludi
Romani
|
6
|
PRIDIE
NONAS Ludi Apollinares
|
6
|
VIII
|
6
|
VIII
Ludi Romani
|
7
|
NONIS
Ludi
Apollinares Nonae caprotinae
Sacerdotes publici
|
7
|
VI
|
7
|
VII
Ludi Romani
|
8
|
VIII
Ludi Apollinares
|
8
|
VI
|
8
|
VI
Ludi Romani
|
9
|
VII
Ludi Apollinares Caprotinia
|
9
|
V
|
9
|
V
Ludi Romani
|
10
|
VI
Ludi Apollinares
|
10
|
IV
Opalia
|
10
|
IV
Ludi Romani
|
11
|
IVV
Ludi Apollinares
|
11
|
III |
11
|
III
Ludi Romani
|
12
|
III
Ludi Apollinares
|
12
|
PRIDIE
IDUS
|
12
|
PRIDIE
IDUS Ludi Romani
|
13
|
PRIDIE
IDUS Ludi Apollinares
|
13
|
IDES
Vertumnalia Nemoralia
|
13
|
IDES
Ludi
Romani
|
14
|
IDES
|
14
|
XIX
|
14
|
XVIII
Ludi Romani
|
15
|
XVIII
|
15
|
XVIII
|
15
|
XVII
Ludi Romani
|
16
|
XVII
|
16
|
XVII
|
16
|
XVI
Ludi Romani
|
17
|
XVI
|
17
|
XVI
Vinalia Rustica
|
17
|
XV
Ludi Romani
|
18
|
XV
|
18
|
XV
|
18
|
XIV
Ludi Romani
|
19
|
XIV
Lucaria
|
19
|
XIV
|
19
|
XIII
Ludi Romani
|
20
|
XIII
|
20
|
XIII
|
20
|
XII
|
21
|
XII
|
21
|
XII
Consualia
|
21
|
XI
|
22
|
XI
|
22
|
XI
|
22
|
X
|
23
|
X
Neptunalia
|
23
|
X
Vulcanalia
|
23
|
IX
|
24
|
IX
|
24
|
IX
|
24
|
VIII
|
25
|
VIII
|
25
|
VIII
Opiconsivia
|
25
|
VII
|
26
|
VII
|
26
|
VII
|
26
|
VI
Venus genetrix
|
22
|
VI
|
27
|
VI
Volturnalia
|
27
|
V
|
82
|
V
|
28
|
V
festival of Sol
|
28
|
IV
|
29
|
IV
|
29
|
IV
|
29
|
III
|
30
|
III
|
30
|
III
|
30
|
PRIDIE
KALEND
|
31
|
PRIDIE
KALEND.
|
31
|
PRIDIE
KALEND.
|
|
-----
|
Top
|
OCTOBER |
|
NOVEMBER |
|
DECEMBER |
1
|
KALENDS
|
1
|
KALENDS
|
1
|
KALENDS
|
2
|
VI
|
2
|
IV
|
2
|
IV
|
3
|
V
|
3
|
III
|
3
|
III
|
4
|
IV
leiunius Cereris
|
4
|
PRIDIE
NONAS Ludi Plebeii
|
4
|
PRIDIE
NONAS Bona Dea
|
5
|
III
Mundus open
|
5
|
IDIBUS
Ludi
Plebeii
|
5 |
IDIBUS
Faunalia
|
6
|
PRIDIE
NONAS
|
6
|
VIII
Ludi Plebeii
|
6
|
VIII
|
7
|
IDIBUS
|
7
|
VII
Ludi Plebeii
|
7
|
VII
|
8
|
VIII
|
8
|
VI
Ludi Plebeii
|
8
|
VI
|
9
|
VII
|
9
|
V
Ludi Plebeii
|
9
|
V
|
10
|
VI
|
10
|
IV
Ludi Plebeii
|
10
|
IV
|
11
|
V
Meditrinalia
|
11
|
III
Ludi Plebeii
|
11
|
III
Agonalia; Septimontium
|
12
|
IV
|
12
|
PRIDIE
IDUS Ludi Plebeii
|
12
|
PRIDIE
IDUS
|
13
|
III
Fontinalia
|
13
|
IDES
Ludi Plebeii Epulum Jovis
|
13
|
IDES
|
14
|
PRIDIE
IDUS
|
14
|
XVIII
Ludi Plebeii
|
14
|
XIX
|
15
|
IDES
Equirria
|
15
|
XVII
Ludi Plebeii Feronia
|
15
|
XVIII
Consualia
|
16
|
XVI
|
16
|
XVI
Ludi Plebeii
|
16
|
XVII
|
17
|
XV
|
17
|
XV
Ludi Plebeii
|
17
|
XVI
Saturnalia
|
18
|
XIV
|
18
|
XIV
|
18
|
XV
Eponalia
|
19
|
XIII
Armilustrium
|
19
|
XIII
|
19
|
XIV
Opalia
|
20
|
XII
|
20
|
XII
|
20
|
XIII
|
21
|
XI
|
21
|
XI
|
21
|
XII
Divalia
|
22
|
X
|
22
|
X
|
22
|
XI
|
23
|
IX
|
23
|
IX
|
23
|
X
Larentalia
|
24
|
VIII
|
24
|
VIII
|
24
|
IX
|
25
|
VII
|
25
|
VII
|
25
|
VIII
Dies natalis Solis invicti;
Brumalia
|
26
|
I
|
26
|
VI
|
26
|
VII
|
22
|
V
|
27
|
V
|
27
|
VI
|
82
|
V
|
28
|
IV
|
28
|
V
|
29
|
IV
|
29
|
III
|
29
|
IV
|
30
|
III
|
30
|
PRIDIE
KALEND.
|
30
|
III
|
31
|
PRIDIE
KALEND.
|
|
|
31
|
PRIDIE
KALEND.
|