May is named in honor of the ancient Roman goddess Maia, the goddess of motherhood. Maia was also referred to by the Romans as Bona Dea, “the Good Goddess”. She might be one-and-the-same with Tellus, the ancient Roman “Mother Earth”… Read More ›
temple
April 12-19 – The Cerealia: The Feast of Ceres, the Ancient Roman Goddess of Agriculture
Wheat in a field. Public domain image, Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wheat_in_field.jpg. It is now mid April. The cold chill of Winter has been banished, and there will only be warmer days to come. New green growth is springing up everywhere. The… Read More ›
December 15 – A Day of Prayers, Sacrifices, and…Mule Racing? The Ancient Roman Consualia Festival
In the ancient Roman calendar, December 15 was (at least according to some ancient authors) one of the main feast days for the sea god Neptune. December 15 could also be called “Equine Appreciation Day”, because it was essentially a… Read More ›
December 1 – The Kalends of December
Today is the first day of December. In the minds of some, this day marks the unofficial beginning of Winter, as the Autumn harvests have been gathered in, most of the leaves have fallen off of the trees by this… Read More ›
February 1 – The Month of Februus, the Ancient Roman God of Purification
In the ancient Roman calendar, several of the months are named after gods in the Roman pantheon. January is named after Janus, the god of new beginnings. March is named after Mars, the god of war. But what about February?… Read More ›
January 11 and 15 – The Feast of Carmenta, the Ancient Roman Goddess of Prophesy and Childbirth
The Infant Dionysus and the Nymph. From the Villa Farnesina, Rome, Italy. Will it be a good year for the crops? Are you going to meet the man of your dreams? Should you invest your dinarii in your deadbeat brother-in-law’s… Read More ›
October 5 – The Opening of the Pit of the Underworld
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 ›
October 1 – The Kalends of October
The Kalends of October, by Jason R. Abdale (October 1, 2021) It is now the month of October in ancient Rome. The weather has begun to cool, the Autumn harvest is ready to be gathered, and the soldiers are preparing… Read More ›
May 15 – The Feast of Mercury
The Roman god Mercury, from the House of the Vettii, Pompeii. Image by Buzz Ferebee (2017).https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:House_of_the_Vettii_VI_15,1_Pompeii_2017_Detail_of_Mercury_with_his_caduceus_from_central_panel_on_north_wall_exedra_p_%28Mau_Plan%29_courtesy_of_Buzz_Ferebee.jpg. May 15 was the date of the Mercuralia, the Feast of Mercury. Mercury was the Roman version for the ancient Greek god Hermes, the… Read More ›
June 1 – The Month of Marriage and the Carnal Kalends of Carna
June is the month of Juno, the goddess of women, marriage, and women’s health. Most weddings in ancient Rome took place in June to honor Juno. Even today, there is a tradition of “June weddings”. The poet Ovid states that… Read More ›
DINOSAURS AND BARBARIANS 
