Modern Date : March 1st Market Day

The Kalends of March - The Matronalia

    This day (NP), is for special religious observance.

    March 1st is the Roman New Year's Day the beginning of Spring as well as the new sacral year. This day was known as the Matronalia because Juno is the presiding deity of both the first day of the year, and the year as a whole. Juno, the matron, or wife, of Jupiter, is the mother of Mars. Juno, also called Saturnia and known as Hera by the Greeks, was the daughter of Cronus (Saturn) and regarded as a paragon of motherly virtues. She was the divinity of sacred marriage and childbirth.
    The month of March belongs to Mars, the warlike god who personifies the protection of the state and the agricultural and business fecundity of the community. In this context Mars represents the terrestial origin of life and the rhythm of the ensuing year. This day was considered to be Mars' birthday. Mars was known to the Greeks as Ares, the god of war. The war god was wild and ungovernable, a god who glorified in strife for its own sake and revelled in slaughter. He was thought to gloat over the death and destruction he caused. He was typically accompanied by his two sons Deimos (Fear or Terror) and Phobos (Dismay or Flight from Fear). The Romans held a milder, more honorable view of Mars, honoring him as the son of Zeus and the father of Romulus.
    On this day the priests of Mars, the sacrarium Martis, would carry shields, leaping and dancing through the streets of Rome. This spectacle would continue through March 24th.
    The Kalends of March were the last day of what came to be called Carnival, the period of celebration from the Terminalia to this symbolic first day of Spring. Mardi Gras continues to be celebrated, as the last great Roman holiday, but now ends on Fat Tuesday rather than specifically on March 1st.


Modern Date : March 2nd Market Day

ante diem VI Nonas March
The Festival of Mars

    This is one of the a dies fasti (F), on which legal actions are permitted.
    The month of March belongs to the warlike Mars, the deity who personifies the protection of the state and the productivity of the community.
    This is the second day of the Festival of Mars. The daily spectacle of the priests of Mars carrying shields, leaping and dancing through the streets of Rome would continue this day.
    Mars was known to the Greeks as Ares, the god of war. Ares was often accompanied in his bloody campaigns by Enyo, the murderess goddess of war who was known as Bellona by the Romans. Ares paid no attention to which cause was right or wrong and was concerned only with where he could cause maximum carnage. The Romans held a milder, more honorable view of Mars, honoring him as the son of Zeus and the father of Romulus.

Modern Date : March 3rd
Market Day

ante diem V Nonas March
The Festival of Mars

    This is one of the a dies comitiales (C), when committees of citizens could vote on political or criminal matters.
    The month of March belongs to the warlike Mars, the deity who personifies the protection of the state and the productivity of the community. In this context Mars represents the terrestial origin of life and the rhythm of the ensuing year. This day was considered to be Mars' birthday. Mars was known to the Greeks as Ares, the god of war. The war god was wild and ungovernable, a god who glorified in strife for its own sake and revelled in slaughter. He was thought to gloat over the death and destruction he caused. He was typically accompanied by his two sons Deimos (Fear or Terror) and Phobos (Dismay or Flight from Fear). The Romans held a milder, more honorable view of Mars, honoring him as the son of Zeus and the father of Romulus.
    This is the third day of the Festival of Mars. The daily spectacle of the priests of Mars leaping and dancing through the streets of Rome would continue this day.

Modern Date : March 4th Market Day

ante diem IV Nonas March
The Festival of Mars

    This is one of the a dies comitiales (C), when committees of citizens could vote on political or criminal matters.

    The month of March belongs to the warlike Mars, the deity who personifies the protection of the state and the productivity of the community. Mars was known to the Greeks as Ares, the god of war. Ares was often accompanied in his bloody campaigns by Enyo, the murderess goddess of war who was known as Bellona by the Romans. Ares paid no attention to which cause was right or wrong and was concerned only with where he could cause maximum carnage. The Romans held a milder, more honorable view of Mars, honoring him as the son of Zeus and the father of Romulus.
    This is the fourth day of the Festival of Mars. The daily spectacle of the priests of Mars leaping and dancing through the streets of Rome would continue this day.
    In Greece, this day was celebrated as the Anthesteria.


Modern Date : March 5th Market Day

ante diem III Nonas March
The Festival of Mars

    This is one of the a dies comitiales (C), when committees of citizens could vote on political or criminal matters.

    The month of March belongs to the warlike Mars, the deity who personifies the protection of the state and the productivity of the community. Mars was known to the Greeks as Ares, the god of war. The war god was wild and ungovernable, a god who glorified in strife for its own sake and revelled in slaughter. He was thought to gloat over the death and destruction he caused. He was typically accompanied by his two sons Deimos (Fear or Terror) and Phobos (Dismay or Flight from Fear).
    This is the fifth day of the Festival of Mars. The daily spectacle of the priests of Mars carrying shields while leaping and dancing through the streets of Rome would continue this day.

Modern Date : March 6th Market Day

pridie Nonas March
The Festival of Mars

    This is one of the dies comitiales (C), when committees of citizens could vote on political or criminal matters.
    The title of Pontifex Maximus conferred on Augustus in 12 BCE this day.

    The month of March belongs to the warlike Mars, the deity who personifies the protection of the state and the productivity of the community. Mars was known to the Greeks as Ares, the god of war. Ares was often accompanied in his bloody campaigns by Enyo, the murderess goddess of war who was known as Bellona by the Romans. Ares paid no attention to which cause was right or wrong and was concerned only with where he could cause maximum carnage. The Romans held a milder, more honorable view of Mars, honoring him as the son of Zeus and the father of Romulus.
    This is the sixth day of the Festival of Mars. The daily spectacle of the priests of Mars carrying shields while leaping and dancing through the streets of Rome would continue this day.



Modern Date : March 7th Market Day

Nonas March
The Festival of Mars

    This is one of the dies fasti (F), on which legal actions are permitted. The rex sacrorum would appear on the steps of the Capitol on this day and announce to the people what days of the months would be holidays.

    The month of March belongs to the warlike Mars, the deity who personifies the protection of the state and the productivity of the community. Mars was known to the Greeks as Ares, the god of war.
    This is one of the ssociated with Vediovis, an archaic deity to whom a temple was built by Romulus. Neither the temple, nor any adequate descriptions survive. Vediovis was a 'juvenile' version of Jove and a temple (the second of three) was dedicated to him on this day in 192 BC.

    The emperor Antoninus died of an illness this day at Lorium in 161 AD and Marcus Aurelius became the new emperor.
    The emperor Geta was born at Rome this day in 189 AD.
    This was the traditional date on which Romulus established the inter duo lucos.
    This is the seventh day of the Festival of Mars. The daily spectacle of the priests of Mars leaping and dancing through the streets of Rome would continue this day.



Modern Date : March 8th Market Day

ante diem VIII Idus March
The Festival of Mars

    This is one of the dies fasti (F), on which legal actions are permitted.

    The month of March belongs to the warlike Mars, the deity who personifies the protection of the state and the productivity of the community. Mars was known to the Greeks as Ares, the god of war. Ares was often accompanied in his bloody campaigns by Enyo, the murderess goddess of war who was known as Bellona by the Romans. Ares paid no attention to which cause was right or wrong and was concerned only with where he could cause maximum carnage. The Romans held a milder, more honorable view of Mars, honoring him as the son of Zeus and the father of Romulus.
    This is the eighth day of the Festival of Mars. The daily spectacle of the priests of Mars leaping and dancing through the streets of Rome would continue this day.



Modern Date : March 9th Market Day

ante diem VII Idus March
The Festival of Mars

    This is one of the dies comitiales (C), when committees of citizens could vote on political or criminal matters.

    The month of March belongs to the warlike Mars, the deity who personifies the protection of the state and the productivity of the community.
    This is the ninth day of the Festival of Mars. The daily spectacle of the priests of Mars leaping and dancing through the streets of Rome would continue this day.
    In Greece on this day they celebrated the feast of Adonis and Aphrodite. As the story goes, one day Venus (Aphrodite) was playing with her son Cupid (Eros) when she accidentally got pricked by one of his arrows. Before it healed she happened to catch sight of a young hunter named Adonis. She left heaven and followed Adonis endlessly, taking up hunting just to be with him. One day Adonis was killed by the sudden attack of a wild boar and as Venus cried over his body she swore he would not be forgotten. Thereupon she sprinkled nectar on his blood and there rose a flower called the Anemone or Wind Flower. The flower is blood red but short-lived like Adonis, only lasting until the wind blows its' petals away.



Modern Date : March 10th Market Day

ante diem VI Idus March
The Festival of Mars

    This is one of the dies comitiales (C), when committees of citizens could vote on political or criminal matters.

    The month of March belongs to the warlike Mars, the deity who personifies the protection of the state and the productivity of the community. Mars was known to the Greeks as Ares, the god of war. Ares was often accompanied in his bloody campaigns by Enyo, the murderess goddess of war who was known as Bellona by the Romans. Ares paid no attention to which cause was right or wrong and was concerned only with where he could cause maximum carnage. The Romans held a milder, more honorable view of Mars, honoring him as the son of Zeus and the father of Romulus.
    This is the tenth day of the Festival of Mars. The daily spectacle of the priests of Mars leaping and dancing through the streets of Rome would continue this day.

Modern Date : March 11th Market Day

ante diem V Idus March
The Festival of Mars
    This is one of the dies comitiales (C), when committees of citizens could vote on political or criminal matters.

    The month of March belongs to the warlike Mars, the deity who personifies the protection of the state and the productivity of the community. This is the eleventh day of the Festival of Mars. The daily spectacle of the priests of Mars leaping and dancing through the streets of Rome would continue this day.
    Elagabalus was murdered this day in Rome in 222 AD. He was 19. His body was thrown into the Tiber.
    The Greeks celebrated the Festival of Hercules on this day. Called Heracles by the Greeks, he was known as the Son of God to all. So great was the people's love for this man that many fantastic tales were credited to his name. According to Greek legend he was born of God and an earthly virgin mother from an act of sex that lasted three days. He was known as the Healer and raised two people from the dead in his lifetime, one man and one woman. He once descended into Hell for three days. According to legend he suffered an excruciatingly painful, and most unfair, death at the hands of his enemies, notably the court of the powerful King of Thebes. After his death he re-appeared to show his closest friends that he was still alive and then ascended bodily into heaven. His friends and followers, known as the Heracleidae, were persecuted after his death. The Christians clearly imitated these stories to capitalize on the people's love of the original Son of God, and also copied the image of the European face of Hercules. They ascribed these to Jesus of Nazareth, thereafter calling him both the Messiah and the Son of God, although the Old Testament prophecies had said nothing about the Messiah being the Son of God.


Modern Date : March 12th Market Day

ante diem IV Idus March
The Festival of Mars

    This is one of the dies comitiales (C), when committees of citizens could vote on political or criminal matters.

    This is the twelfth day of the Festival of Mars. The daily spectacle of the priests of Mars leaping and dancing through the streets of Rome would continue this day.
    In ancient Mesopotamia, the Zarathustrans (Zoroastrians) celebrated this as the Day of Marduk. Marduk (called Jehovah by the ancient Hebrews) was the sun god who defeated the sea goddess Tiamat and took claim to the creation of the world. Tiamat was the cause of the Great Flood according to the Babylonians, freeing Marduk from the stigma of being a murderer of innocent men, women, and children. Other religions take the blasphemous view that Jehovah caused the flood.
    Pope Gregory died this day in 604 AD. No-one had done more damage to our history and culture than this one man. Gregory ruled as bishop over a few thousand illiterate beggars who inhabited Rome's ruins. For years he led them through the streets systematically gutting the buildings, destroying the art, and burning the books from all the libraries in great bonfires. In the three sacks of Rome, none of the barbarians had put this much effort into erasing our collective heritage. Not even the Moslems, who spent six months burning all the books in the Library of Alexandria, did as much damage as Gregory. Although he wrote several books, none of them compared in quality or importance to the least of the priceless ancient works he destroyed. The only thing he salvaged was some Roman Choir sheet music, which he edited and renamed Gregorian Chant, pretending to have written them himself.



Modern Date : March 13th Market Day

ante diem III Idus March
The Festival of Mars

    This is one of then endotercisus (EN), on which mornings could be for voting and afternoons not, or vice-versa.

    The month of March belongs to the warlike Mars, the deity who personifies the protection of the state and the productivity of the community. This is the thirteenth day of the Festival of Mars. The daily spectacle of the priests of Mars leaping and dancing through the streets of Rome would continue this day.
    Alexander Severus became emperor this day in 222 AD.
    On this day in 4 BC, King Herod the Great died. Herod, originally a commoner, rose to power through a string of remarkable military victories, earning the respect and friendship of the Romans, who named him King of the Jews at a senate meeting in 58 BC. Three years and many battles later he succeeded in uniting the warring fragments of Judea and the Jewish colonies. Herod turned the country into a powerful nation, building numerous fortresses, palaces, temples, seaports, and cities where there had been none before. A friend to Julius Caesar and Augustus, he made Judea so prosperous that they even assumed all support for the Olympic games, which the Greeks could no longer afford. After his death, the nation reverted to belligerence, fighting amongst themselves and incurring the wrath of the only friends they had in the world, the Romans.



Modern Date : March 14th Market Day

The Equirria
The Festival of Mars

    This day (NP), is for special religious observance.

    This day had a religious and military significance, and rites were performed involving purification of the army. This day is sacred to Mars and was a festival day. This is the second Equirria, the first being on February 27th. Horse races were also held on this day, on the Campius Martius, the field of Mars.
    Mamurius, the old Mars, was often associated with, and honored, on this day. A scapegoat was driven out of the city on this day, symbolic of expelling the old and bringing in the new.
    The month of March belongs to the warlike Mars, the deity who personifies the protection of the state and the productivity of the community. This is the forteenth day of the Festival of Mars. The spectacle of the priests of Mars carrying shields while leaping and dancing through the streets of Rome would continue this day.
    On this day, the day before the traditional first full moon of the new year, a man dressed in goatskins would be ceremonially chased out of the city in a rite of purification.
    In 190 BCE a solar eclipse was seen in Rome this day, but the Roman Calendar had fallen so far adrift that they called this day July 11th.



Modern Date : March 15th Market Day

The Ides of March

    This day (NP), is for special religious observance.

    The month of March belongs to the warlike Mars, the deity who personifies the protection of the state and the productivity of the community. This is the fifteenth day of the Festival of Mars. The daily spectacle of the priests of Mars leaping and dancing through the streets of Rome would continue this day.
    This day, of course, has acquired infamy due to the public murder of Julius Caesar, the originator of this Julian version of the Roman calendar. The conspiratorial attempt to restore the archaic Republic failed and resulted in years of carnage and destruction.
    This day was also the Festival of Anna Porenna, the deified image of an old woman who either represented the flowing river (amne perenne) or who had baked bread to feed Roman soldiers near Bovillae. This was a picnic day, and the Romans would travel out and set up tents and camps around the first milestone of the Via Flamina.
    On this day in 45 BCE Caesar won the final victory over Pompey's troops, defeating his two sons at Munda. The Pax Romana truly began this day.


Modern Date : March 16th Market Day

ante diem XVII Kalendas April
The Festival of Mars

    This is one of the dies fasti (F), on which legal actions are permitted.

    March 16th was a holy day for the Romans, and was sacred to both Jupiter (through Liber) and Mars, sitting in between their respective holidays. Dionysius is also connected with this day, as is Carnival, or Mardi Gras for the Romans, which was celebrated throughout the first weeks of March (the Roman New Year's celebration). People would ask the gods for as many years of life as goblets of wine they could drink during this celebration.
    The month of March belongs to the warlike Mars, the deity who personifies the protection of the state and the productivity of the community. This is the sixteenth day of the Festival of Mars. The daily spectacle of the priests of Mars leaping and dancing through the streets of Rome would continue this day.
    On this day in the year 37, the emperor Nero, the last blood relative of the family of Julius Caesar, died most disgracefully on the floor of one of his palaces. Having murdered a number of noble Romans and not a few innocent citizens, this was a loss only to the posterity of the name. Among Nero's greatest achievements was the design of a collapsible ship, which failed to drown his mother, the burning of a residential section of Rome to make way for a new garden, and his famous riding of a huge chariot (a quadriga) hitched to four elephants, which ploughed through one of the Christian cemeteries just outside the city. It is curious to note that the Christians, supposedly being persecuted, would have public cemeteries in Rome at this time.
    The emperor Tiberius died (smothered) at Misenum in 37 AD. He was 77.
    This was the first day of a nine-day fast for the Romans, leading up to the Day of Blood.
    The Greeks celebrated this day, every three years, as the Festival of Dionysius. Romans celebrated it as the Bacchanalia, until 186 BC, when it was banned. The celebrations tended to get wild and out of hand.
    Jerusalem was captured by Babylon this day in 597 BCE. Although they had previously worshipped several deities, under captivity the Jews became officially monotheistic.



Modern Date : March 17th Market Day

The Liberalia

    This day (NP), is for special religious observance.
    This day was sacred to Liber, and on this day women would line the streets and sell fresh meal-cakes on small altars. Processions were made to chapels in various parts of the city. Effigies were placed in these chapels, later to be cast into the Tiber river during the festivals in May.
    The Liberalia is considered to be the first real festival of the new sacral year. A primary theme of these celebrations is freedom (liber).
    Freedom to the Romans had four embodiments:
    1. Freedom from evil.
    2. Freedom from burdens.
    3. Freedom from care.
    4. Freedom from youthful folly.
    This is the seventeenth day of the Festival of Mars. The daily spectacle of the priests of Mars leaping and dancing through the streets of Rome would continue this day. In fact, the multiple processions going on throughout the day would have borne a resemblance to the multiple parades that go on throughout New Orleans during Mardi Gras.
    The philosopher emperor Marcus Aurelius died this day near Sirmium in 180 AD. His book of Greek Stoicism called Meditations portrays the remarkable wisdom that the best Romans were capable of even during a time of decay. He had been ill for years and probably had cancer. He could often only endure the pain after taking the drug Theriac, which contained opium. His son Commodus succeeded him as emperor this day.
    This was the second day of a nine-day fast for the Romans, leading up to the Day of Blood.
    On this day the Bacchanalia, the Festival of Bacchus, continued in Greece.
    The Canaanites (Phoenicians or Syrians) celebrated this day as Astarte's day. Astarte was often identified as Demeter or Ceres, and as Isis in Egypt. Astarte was both a moon goddess and a cow goddess because the new moon had horns.


Modern Date : March 18th Market Day

ante diem XV Kalendas April
The Festival of Mars

    This is one of the dies comitiales (C), when committees of citizens could vote on political or criminal matters.

    The month of March belongs to the warlike Mars, the deity who personifies the protection of the state and the productivity of the community. This is the eighteenth day of the Festival of Mars. The daily spectacle of the priests of Mars carrying shields while leaping and dancing through the streets of Rome would continue this day. Mars was known to the Greeks as Ares, the god of war. The war god was wild and ungovernable, a god who glorified in strife for its own sake and revelled in slaughter.
    This was the third day of a nine-day fast for the Romans, leading up to the Day of Blood.
    Caligula, the people's favorite, was proclaimed emperor by the senate in 37 AD. They annulled the will of the hated Tiberius and effectively disinherited Tiberius' son Gemellus, who would soon be killed by Caligula. The senators would live, though many did not, to regret this hasty choice.
    This was the 1st day of the 3rd month of the 13 month Druidic Calendar. The sequent letter is F, symbolic of the tree Alder (or Cornel).



Modern Date : March 19th Market Day

The Quinquatrus

    This day (NP), is for special religious observance.

    This day is sacred to both Mars and Minerva (the Greek Athena).
    Five days of festival and celebration began with this day, the Quinquatrus. On these days the trumpets (tubae) were lustrated. These tubae were long straight trumpets which had a deep sound. They were used during sacrifices, funerals, public games, and were the same trumpets Scipio Africanus used to stampede Hannibal's elephants at his final defeat at Carthage.
    March belongs to the warlike Mars, the deity who personifies the protection of the state and the productivity of the community.
    This day was also referred to as the Minervalia, in honor of Minerva, the goddess who personified wisdom and the arts. Minerva was also the patroness of trumpet players. She was the daughter of Zeus and Metis. She was endowed with the power of prophecy which she could bestow on mortals. She was the patroness of art, science, and learning. Athena also governed the feminine industry of spinning and weaving. It was for Athena, the patron goddess of Athens, that the Greeks built the Parthenon and in which was housed one of Phidias' greatest works of art, a gold covered statue of the goddess.
    In Babylon on this day in 721 BCE, Persian astronomers observed the first recorded solar eclipse in history.
    This is the ninteenth day of the Festival of Mars. The daily spectacle of the priests of Mars leaping and dancing through the streets of Rome would continue this day.
    This was the fourth day of a nine-day fast for the Romans, leading up to the Day of Blood.



Modern Date : March 20th Market Day

ante diem XIII Kalendas April
The Festival of Mars

    This is one of the dies comitiales (C), when committees of citizens could vote on political or criminal matters.

    This is the second day of the Quinquatrus. On these days the trumpets (tubae) were lustrated. These tubae were long straight trumpets which had a deep sound. They were used during sacrifices, funerals, public games, and military maneuvers. The month of March belongs to the warlike Mars, the deity who personifies the protection of the state and the productivity of the community.
    This is the twentieth day of the Festival of Mars. The daily spectacle of the priests of Mars carrying shields while leaping and dancing through the streets of Rome would continue this day.
    This was the fifth day of a nine-day fast for the Romans, leading up to the Day of Blood.
    The Egyptians celebrated this day as the Spring Harvest Festival.


Modern Date : March 21st Market Day

ante diem XII Kalendas April
The Festival of Mars

    This is one of the dies comitiales (C), when committees of citizens could vote on political or criminal matters.

    This is the third day of the Quinquatrus. On these days the trumpets (tubae) were lustrated. These tubae were long straight trumpets which had a deep sound. They were used during sacrifices, funerals, public games, and military maneuvers.
    The month of March belongs to the warlike Mars, the deity who personifies the protection of the state and the productivity of the community.
    This is the twenty-first day of the Festival of Mars. The daily spectacle of the priests of Mars leaping and dancing through the streets of Rome would continue this day.
    In Greece, this was the Festival of Demeter, Ceres to the Romans. Demeter was the goddess of the harvest, and the second child of Cronus (Saturn) and Rhea (Ops). She was also known as Chloe, Deo, and the mater Dolorosa. She was much beloved by both the Romans and the Greeks, being a splendid goddess who could do only good. She was the mother of Persephone (Cora or Kore) from whom she was inseparable.
    This was the sixth day of a nine-day fast for the Romans, leading up to the Day of Blood.
    Some Byzantine Christians reckoned the universe was the was created this day in 5508 BC.



Modern Date : March 22nd Market Day

ante diem XI Kalendas
Festival of the Entry of the Tree

    This is one of the dies nefasti (N), a day on which no legal action or public voting could take place.
    This is the fourth day of the Quinquatrus. On these days the trumpets (tubae) were lustrated. These tubae were long straight trumpets which had a deep sound. They were used during sacrifices, funerals, public games, and military maneuvers.
    On this day the priests of Cybele (Ops or Rhea) would carry pine (some say palm) trees through the streets and it was known as the Festival of the Entry of the Tree. It was renamed Palm Sunday by the Christians, who prevaricated its' origin and meaning.
    This was the seventh day of a nine-day fast for the Romans, leading up to the Day of Blood.
    The month of March belongs to the warlike Mars, the deity who personifies the protection of the state and the productivity of the community.
    This is the twenty-second day of the Festival of Mars. The daily spectacle of the priests of Mars dancing the Dance of the Salii through the streets of Rome would continue this day.


Modern Date : March 23rd Market Day

The Tubilustrium

    This day (NP), is for special religious observance.

    The Tubilustrium is the fifth day of the Quinquatrus. On these days the trumpets (tubae) were lustrated. This day was sacred to Minerva (Athena), the patroness of trumpets.
    The month of March belongs to the warlike Mars, the deity who personifies the protection of the state and the productivity of the community.
    This is the twenty-third day of the Festival of Mars. The daily spectacle of the priests of Mars leaping and dancing through the streets of Rome would continue this day.
    This was the eighth day of a nine-day fast for the Romans, leading up to the Day of Blood.



Modern Date : March 24th Market Day

The Quando Rex Comitiavit

    This day (QRCF), is for special religious observance. The exact nature of this ancient holiday is not known.

    The month of March belongs to the warlike Mars, the deity who personifies the protection of the state and the productivity of the community.
    This is the last day of the Festival of Mars. The daily spectacle of the priests of Mars doing the Dance of the Salii, leaping and dancing through the streets of Rome while carrying shields, would continue this day.
    The Romans called this day the Day of Blood and it would end the previous nine days of fasting. Devotees of the goddess Cybele would practice self-flagellation on this day. It was renamed Good Friday by the Christians, who prevaricated its' origin and true meaning. Self-flagellation is, in fact, still practiced by some of them.



Modern Date : March 25th Market Day

ante diem VII Kalendas April
Festival of Joy

    This is one of the dies comitiales (C), when committees of citizens could vote on political or criminal matters.

    The month of March belongs to the warlike Mars, the deity who personifies the protection of the state and the productivity of the community.
    This day was the Hilaria, or the Festival of Joy. The nine-day period of fasting in honor of Cybele would end this day and feasts would ensue. This festival was renamed Easter by the Christians, who prevaricated its' origin and true meaning, replacing it with the myth of the Resurrection.
    According to the Alexandrian computation, the world was created this day in 5508 BC. Some Christians argue, however, that the world can't possibly be that old and claim it was actually 5493 BC.
    At Ravenna, in 493 AD, King Odoacer, who controlled what was left of the Western Roman empire, was overthrown in a surprise move by Theodoric. Theodoric himself killed the aging Odoacer, splitting him from neck to crotch with a single stroke of his sword.


Modern Date : March 26th Market Day

ante diem VII Kalendas April
The Day of Rest

    This is one of the dies comitiales (C), when committees of citizens could vote on political or criminal matters.

    The month of March belongs to the warlike Mars, the deity who personifies the protection of the state and the productivity of the community.
    The Romans called this the Day of Rest, being the first day in weeks that had no celebrations.



Modern Date : March 27th Market Day

ante diem VI Kalendas April
The Ceremony of Washing

    This is one of the dies comitiales (C), when committees of citizens could vote on political or criminal matters.

    The month of March belongs to the warlike Mars, the deity who personifies the protection of the state and the productivity of the community. Mars was known to the Greeks as Ares, the god of war. Ares was often accompanied in his bloody campaigns by Enyo, the murderess goddess of war who was known as Bellona by the Romans. Ares paid no attention to which cause was right or wrong and was concerned only with where he could cause maximum carnage. The Romans held a milder, more honorable view of Mars, honoring him as the son of Zeus and the father of Romulus.
    On this day the Romans would perform the ceremonial rites of washing, or the tradition that we know today as spring cleaning.
    The ancient Egyptians called this Smell the Breeze Day.



Modern Date : March 28th Market Day

ante diem V Kalendas April
Fifth Day to the Kalends of April

    This is one of the dies comitiales (C), when committees of citizens could vote on political or criminal matters.

    The month of March belongs to the warlike Mars, the deity who personifies the protection of the state and the productivity of the community. Mars was known to the Greeks as Ares, the god of war. The war god was wild and ungovernable, a god who glorified in strife for its own sake and revelled in slaughter. He was thought to gloat over the death and destruction he caused. He was typically accompanied by his two sons Deimos (Fear or Terror) and Phobos (Dismay or Flight from Fear).
    The emperor Pertinax was murdered on the Palatine at Rome this day in 193 AD. He was 66. Didius Julianus became emperor this same day.



Modern Date : March 29th Market Day

ante diem IV Kalendas April Fourth Day to the Kalends of April

    This is one of the dies comitiales (C), when committees of citizens could vote on political or criminal matters.
    The month of March belongs to the warlike Mars, the deity who personifies the protection of the state and the productivity of the community.
    In Greece, this day was called the Delphinia, which involved a celebration at Delphi in Phocis, where Apollo gave his oracles. This may have been the musical contest that was held annually Phocis and lasted several days. This involved several competitions, probably subdivided into musical styles such as hymns and lyric poetry, which were the favorite of Apollo. Pausaniaus, a composer of hymns and an outstanding player of the kithara (cithara), was once the victor of the second competition.


Modern Date : March 30th Market Day

ante diem III Kalendas April
The Festival of Salus

    This is one of the dies comitiales (C), when committees of citizens could vote on political or criminal matters.

    This day was set aside to honor Salus, the goddess who embodied the idea of public safety and welfare. This name, Salus, is the origin of our word salubrious, which means healthful. A temple dedicated to Salus was built in Rome atop the Quirinal Hill, the hill of Mars.
    The month of March belongs to the warlike Mars, the deity who personifies the protection of the state and the productivity of the community. Mars was known to the Greeks as Ares, the god of war. Ares was often accompanied in his bloody campaigns by Enyo, the murderess goddess of war who was known as Bellona by the Romans. Ares paid no attention to which cause was right or wrong and was concerned only with where he could cause maximum carnage. The Romans held a milder, more honorable view of Mars, honoring him as the son of Zeus and the father of Romulus.



Modern Date : March 31st Market Day

pridie Kalendas April
The Festival of Luna

    This is one of the dies comitiales (C), when committees of citizens could vote on political or criminal matters.

    This day was known as the Festival of Luna, or the ancient Virgin Goddess of the Moon who came to be called Diana. She was identical to the Greek goddess Artemis. Daughter of Jupiter and Latona. Sister of Apollo, she was also the Goddess of Hunting. Diana had three forms: Luna in Heaven, Diana on Earth, and Hecate in the Underworld. Diana was often called Diana Lucifera, Diana the Bringer of Light. The Greeks knew her as Artemis, the twin sister of Apollo, and daughter of Zeus and Leto. She was born under Mount Cynthus in Delos and hence was also called Cynthia and Delia. She carried a bow and quiver like her brother, and was especially fond of music and dance. Diana was never conquered by love, and submitted to no man, hence she was the goddess of a "chaste" moon and, except for her family, tolerated only female companions. Her priestesses were all chaste and this festival was celebrated with daily music and dance until the kalends of June. The hunter Actaeon happened across her bathing one day and had the fortune (or misfortune) to become the only man to ever have seen Diana in all her naked beauty. He paid with his life.
    The emperor Constantius I was born in Illyricum this day in 250 AD. He died, apparently of leukemia, at age 56.
    The month of March belongs to the warlike Mars, the deity who personifies the protection of the state and the productivity of the community.


Mois d'Avril