Author Archives

• November 1 – The Kalends of November: The Month of the Hunt

  By Jason R. Abdale on November 1, 2020 • ( 0 )

  It is now November. The cool crisp breezes skim through the air, wafting the scents of pumpkin spice and apple cider, while the leaves on the trees are ablaze with the full glory of the Autumn colors. Halloween has come… Read More ›

• An Ancient Academic’s Rant: My Gripes with Antiquarians of Prior Centuries

  By Jason R. Abdale on October 25, 2020 • ( 0 )

  I love ancient history, but I hate reading it. That’s a statement that some people may find bizarre. I adore the histories of ancient civilizations and cultures. I fantasize about what it must be like to walk the streets of… Read More ›

• October 23 – The Feast of Bacchus, Liber Pater

  By Jason R. Abdale on October 21, 2020 • ( 0 )

  

  It’s no secret that the ancient Roman calendar was chock-full of holidays, feast days, and festivals. Any excuse for a party, I suppose. However, determining which days are truly authentic dates for celebrations within the ancient Roman calendar, and which… Read More ›

• September 3 – The Bacchanalia: The Feast of Bacchus, God of Wine

  By Jason R. Abdale on October 21, 2020 • ( 0 )

  

  “Today is a day to drink and dance! Let us rival the priests of Bacchus with feasts to deck the couches of the gods!” – Aristarchus of Athens, Greek orator, 1st Century BC The quotation that you see above are… Read More ›

• October 25-30 – The Potentially Fictional Feast of Vertumnus, the God of the Changing Seasons

  By Jason R. Abdale on October 10, 2020 • ( 0 )

  For many, the end of October is the height of the harvest season. As October draws to a close, fall fairs and harvest festivals are taking place, apple cider flows freely, pumpkins decorate every front yard, and every coffee shop,… Read More ›

• October 19 – The Armilustrium: Another Campaign Season Comes To An End

  By Jason R. Abdale on October 5, 2020 • ( 1 )

  The Roman Army was the mightiest fighting force of ancient times from the 3rd Century BC until arguably the 3rd Century AD.  Each year, the soldiers were sent out to search for and fight the empire’s enemies. However, the legions… Read More ›

• October 15 – The Ludi Capitolini: The Capitoline Games of Ancient Rome

  By Jason R. Abdale on October 5, 2020 • ( 0 )

  Introduction The ancient Romans named the middle part of each month as the “Ides”, and each of these days was dedicated to Jupiter, King of the Gods. Sometimes, these days were marked for holding special celebrations. The Ides of October,… Read More ›

• October 13 – The Fontanalia: The Blessing of the Fountains

  By Jason R. Abdale on October 2, 2020 • ( 0 )

  By the reign of Caesar Augustus, the city of Rome had a population of a million people. With so many crammed into such a small area, disease was a big problem. Having fresh clean drinking water would greatly contribute to… Read More ›

• October 5 – The Opening of the Pit of the Underworld

  By Jason R. Abdale on October 2, 2020 • ( 0 )

  Manes, Lares, and Lemures. © Jason R. Abdale (August 21, 2021) “Then I saw an angel coming down from Heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. And he seized the dragon, that… Read More ›

• Today in Ancient Rome: A Reference Guide for Articles on the Ancient Roman Calendar

  By Jason R. Abdale on September 29, 2020 • ( 0 )

  A scene from the movie The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964). Greetings all. For those who follow this website regularly, you know that ancient history is one of my major academic interests. Beginning in February 2019, I have been… Read More ›