Fasti

[Aldus Marius]

Salvete, amici Romani...

Yesterday Curator Iohannes sicced me on a Yahoo mailing-list called "Fasti". Every day they e-mail you the Roman date, what's being celebrated on it if anything, and whether it's a dies fasti, nefas, ater or something else. Hot-and-heavily pursuant of such a lead, I subscribed with intent to share. Here ya go: Monday's. >({|:-)

Monday March 10, 2008
ante diem VI Idus Martias
[C] Religiosus, FERIAE MARTI

The kinds of days and their abbreviations:

[F] Fastus (comitia: no; courts: yes)
[C] Comitialis (comitia: yes; courts: yes)
[N] Nefastus (comitia: no; courts: no)
[NP] Nefastus Publicus (comitia: no; courts: no)
* ordinary citizens may not commit acts of physical violence, or begin lawsuits, and should try to avoid quarrels [but robust and lively debate was acceptable]
* slaves are allowed the day off work
* ordinary citizens may not do any physical labour except what is urgently necessary and can't be postponed
* the Flamines and the Rex Sacrorum may not see anyone doing any physical labour, and may fine anyone they see doing physical labour.

[EN] Endotercisus or Intercisus (morning: N; afternoon: F; evening: N)
[FP] Fastus Publicus (or Principio)...meaning is disputed;
* if Principio, they may be fasti in the morning and nefasti in the afternoon and evening;
* if Publicus, it may be another term for Nefastus Publicus. (which sounds strange, but may be comparable to how we use "holiday" and "holy day")
[QRCF] Quando Rex Comitiavit Fas (N until the Rex Sacrorum appears in the Comitia, then F)
[QSDF] Quando Stercus Delatum Fas (N until the Temple of Vesta has been cleaned, then F)

Ater (unlucky)
*Try to avoid making journeys, starting new projects, or doing anything risky.
*Certain gods, including Iuppiter and Ianus, may not be named.
*These days are ill-omened to begin any new project, and any new project would necessarily begin by performing a rite calling for the assistance of the gods. Such religious rites, beginning something new, are not to be performed.
*New fire should not be struck.

NOTA BENE: Normal work would still be performed on dies atri, and as part of performing any work one performs rites for the patron deities, geni locii, and other appropriate deities. Likewise, the daily routine is also performed before the lararium.

Religiosus (vitiosus): like dies atri, but less bad:
* Avoid making journeys, starting new projects, doing anything risky.
* No private religious rites may be performed, subject to the same comment as for dies atri.

---==| Unless otherwise noted, ordinary citizens (not magistrates) may do anything. |==---

[Ed. note: I've since received a somewhat fuller explanation of the types of days; new info is in purple.]

In fide,

[Aldus Marius]

Tomorrow's... >({|:-)

Tuesday March 11, 2008
ante diem V Idus Martias
[C] Religiosus
FERIAE MARTI

In fide,

[M. Aemilius Corvus]

Keep it coming! Actually I should probably just sign up myself....oh well!

[Aldus Marius]

Salve, mi Corve!

By all means, please do! It's not a huge task, but I'm spread so thin these days... However, I'm not ashamed to delegate!

Here's the link again:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/fasti/

I'll go ahead and do Wednesday's while you think about it. >({|:-)

In amicitia et fide,

[Aldus Marius]

Wednesday March 12, 2008

ante diem IV Idus Martias
[C] Religiosus
FERIAE MARTI

In fide,

[Tiberius Dionysius Draco]

Thanks for the link, I joined the mailing list.

[Aldus Marius]

Salvete, amici Romani!

Thursday, 13 Mar 08

ante diem III Idus Martias
[EN] Religiosus
FERIAE MARTI

From M Horatius Piscinus' Roman Calendar (on our Web site):

* Alexander Severus saluted by the Legions as imperator, and supplicationes were therefore made to Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva (222 CE)
"Often, when one God burdens, another God brings help." (Ovid, Tristia 1.2.4).

In fide,

[Aldus Marius]

Salvete, amici Romani!

Fasti for 14 Mar 08

Pridie Idus Martias
[NP] Religiosus
FERIAE MARTI

From the SVR Calendar:
* Mamuralia, when Veturius Mamurius, the artisan who made the ancile held by the Salii priests, was driven from Rome. Reenactment of this legend was performed as a purification rite, all of the disease-producing spirits having been driven by the Salii onto Mamurius who is then beaten out of the City.
* Equirria horse races on the Campus Martius honor Mars. "Today the circus holds all of Rome." (Juvenal, Satires 11.197).
* Alexander Severus acceded to the titles of Augustus, Pater Patria, and Pontifex Maximus, 222 CE.

In fide,

[Aldus Marius]

Salvete omnes!

Fasti for 15 Mar 08:

Idibus Martiis
[NP] Religiosus
FERIAE MARTI, FERIAE IOVI, FERIAE ANNAE PERENNAE
Notes: Every Ides is sacred to Iuppiter.
Idibus alba iovi grandior agna cadit. -Ovidius

From the SVR Roman Calendar:
* Feriae Jovi, Fastus, et Annae Perennae, when plebeians streamed from the City onto the Campus Martius to spend the day drinking wine and in revelry.
* Procession of the Palms made by the cannophori of Attis, leaving the City in search of His sacred pine.

In fide,

[Aldus Marius]

Salvete Romani!

Fasti for Sunday, 16 Mar 2008:

ante diem XVII Kalendas Apriles
[F] Ater
FERIAE MARTI

From our Roman Calendar:
* Compitalia: Procession of the Pontifices and Vestal Virgins to the Argeorum sacella, where the straw puppets called Argei were stored (see 15 May).
* Death of Tiberius, 37 CE

In fide,

[Aldus Marius]

Salvete omnes!

The Fasti for Monday, 17 Mar 2008:

ante diem XVI Kalendas Apriles
[NP], Religiosus
LIBERALIA, AGONIUM MARTIALE
Notes: The Liberalia (from Liber or Liber Pater, a name of Bacchus), "a simple and innocent festival of Bacchus" (Ovid, Fasti III. 713). A description of the ceremonies customary at this festival is given by Ovid (l.c.), with which may be compared Varro (Varro, De Lingua Latina V.55, ed. Bipont.).

Priests and aged priestesses, adorned with garlands of ivy, carried through the city wine, honey, cakes, and sweet-meats, together with an altar with a handle (ansata ara), in the middle of which there was a small fire-pan (foculus), in which from time to time sacrifices were burnt. On this day Roman youths who had attained their sixteenth year received the toga virilis (Cicero, ad Atticam VI.1). That the Liberalia were celebrated with various amusements and great merriment, might be inferred from the general character of Dionysiac festivals; but we may also see it from the name Ludi Liberales, which is sometimes used instead of Liberalia; and Naevius (ap. Fest.) expressly says that persons expressed themselves very freely at the Liberalia.

On the Agonium Martiale, a victim was offered by the Salii agonales on the Mons Quirinalis, hence sometimes called Mons Agonus, in honour of Mars, or more probably of Quirinus. (Cal. Vatic.).

To which noster Piscinus, on the SVR's Roman Calendar, adds:
* LIBERALIA: On this day old women, the sacerdotes Liberi, wearing wreaths of ivy on their heads, sit in all parts of the City, with libum cakes and a brazier, on which they offer up the cakes on behalf of any purchaser (Varro L.L. VI.14).
* AGONALIA: On this day the Rex Sacrorum sacrifices a ram to Mars in the Regia. The assistant, minister sacrificii, would ask "agone?" To which the Rex Sacrorum replied "Hoc age."
* Compitalia is the day assigned to the Lares Viales; therefore, where the crossroads meet, sacrifice is then made at the compita (Varro L.L. VI.25). "I call upon you, Lares Viales, that you may well protect me." (Plautus Mercator 865)
* Victory of Julius Caesar at Munda, 45 BCE.
* Death of M. Aurelius, ascension of Commodus 180 CE.

In fide,

[Aldus Marius]

Salvete iterum, amici Romani!

Fasti for Tuesday, 18 Mar:

ante diem XV Kalendas Apriles
[C] Religiosus
FERIAE MARTI

And from noster Piscinus, this quote:
O Liber, humbly now I approach Your altar; grant tranquil seas for me, Father Liber, and fair winds in my sails. (Propertius 3.17.1-2)

In fide,

[Valerius Claudius Iohanes]

Avete -

Illa prex Propertii a Horatiano citata -- quam bona est.

Valete.

[Aldus Marius]

Salvete, Romani viatores!

The Fasti for Wednesday, 19 March:

ante diem XIV Kalendas Apriles
[NP], Religiosus
QUINQUATRUS, FERIAE MARTI

Notes: Quinquatrus or Quinquatria, a festival sacred to Minerva, was so called according to Varro (de Ling. Lat. VI.14, ed. Müller) because it was the fifth day after the Ides. Both Varro and Festus state that the Quinquatrus was celebrated for only one day, but Ovid (Fasti III.809, etc.) says that it was celebrated for five days, and was for this reason called by this name: that on the first day no blood was shed, but that on the last four there were contests of gladiators. It would appear however that the first day was only the festival properly so called, and that the last four were merely an addition made perhaps in the time of Caesar to gratify the people, who became so passionately fond of gladiatorial combats. The ancient Calendars too assign only one day to the festival.

Ovid says that this festival was celebrated in commemoration of the birth-day of Minerva; but according to Festus it was sacred to Minerva because her temple on the Aventine was consecrated on that day. On the fifth day of the festival, according to Ovid (III.849), the trumpets used in sacred rites were purified; but this seems to have been originally a separate festival called Tubilustrium (Festus, s.v.; Varro, l.c.), which was celebrated as we know from the ancient Calendars on a.d. X Kal. Apr., and would of course, when the Quinquatrus was extended to five days, fall on the last day of that festival.

M Horatius adds:
* On the fifth day after the Ides the Salii were joined by the tribuni celerum, or cavalry officers, in the Comitium for a purification of the ancilae and sacrifice to Mars, followed by a feast.
* Dies artificum, holiday of craftsmen.
* MINERVALIA celebrating the dedications of the Temple of Minerva Capta on the Caelian, c. 241 BCE, and the Temple of Minerva on the Aventine, c. 105 BCE.

In fide,

[Aldus Marius]

Salvete amici!

Fasti for Thursday, 20 Mar:

ante diem XIII Kalendas Apriles
[C], Religiosus
FERIAE MARTI

(Phew...no long walks or block parties!) >`({(:-)

And from M Horatius Piscinus' Roman calendar:
"O Minerva, You have always come to my aid with Your counsels; witness to the existence of my works." (Cicero, Domo 144)

In fide,

[Aldus Marius]

(Aaah! --I'm running late!!) >`({|8-\

Fasti for Friday, 21 Mar: Another quiet one.

ante diem XII Kalendas Apriles
[C], Religiosus
FERIAE MARTI

From our Roman Calendar:
* Septmatrus: "Bellicose Mars, lay aside for awhile Your round bronze shield and spear. Mars, be present and let loose from its helmet Your sleek, shining hair." (Ovid, Fasti III.1-2).
* Birth of Ovid, 43 BCE

(One month to go before Austin!! Yeah!!) >({|8-)

Late but laetus after all,

[Aldus Marius]

Fasti for Saturday, 22 Mar:

ante diem XI Kalendas Apriles
[N], Religiosus
FERIAE MARTI

From the site's calendar:
* Dies violae, lay flowers at the tombs of loved ones.
* Attis arbor intrat, procession of the pinetree of Attis into Rome, and its mock burial in the Forum.

(I'm rather enjoying this. It's sort of like those little 'Daily Devotion' booklets they give out in Christian churches. A nice habit. Some of us take on something for Lent.)

In fide,

[Aldus Marius]

Salvete omnes!

Fasti for Sunday, 23 Mar:

ante diem X Kalendas Apriles
[NP], Religiosus
TUBILUSTRIUM, FERIAE MARTI

Notes: The final day of the Quinquatrus in honor of Mars was called the Tubilustrium. The war trumpets (tubae) were purified on this day.

To which noster Piscinus adds:
* Lustration of the tubae used to call the Comitia Curiata.

(Would it have been both, then...?)

In fide,

[Aldus Marius]

Salvete amici!

Fasti for Monday, 24 April:

ante diem IX Kalendas Apriles
[QRCF]
FERIAE MARTI

Notes -- QRCF (Quando Rex Comitiavit Fas): These are dies feriati (religious worship takes place) but dies profesti (working days). They are a dies nefastus (N) from dawn till the Rex Sacrorum appears in the Comitium and performs the purifying rites. From then on it is a dies fastus (F) and the Comitia may be adjourned.

And from our calendar:
* The Comitia Curiata meets under the presidency of the Rex Sacrorum to hear wills proclaimed in the atrium Sutorius, or Hall of Shoemakers.
* Dies Sanguis (Dance and castration of Galli around Pine of Attis). "Go, incite others if You must, Cybele, just go, and keep far away from me and my house!" (Catullus 63.91)


In fide,

[Aldus Marius]

Fasti for Tuesday, 25 March:

ante diem VIII Kalendas Apriles
[C]

(In the words of the Staples commercial, "That was Easy!")

And from our own calendar, a little more going on...:
* Hilaria: The Resurrection of Attis. The sacred pine is removed from its burial and erected in the Forum. Pines are likewise placed in private homes and decorated with much merriment.


In fide,