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March 15, 44 BC How Diarrhea Changed the World On this day in 44 BC Julius Caesar was stabbed to death in the Roman Senate by a cadre of Senators who called themselves “the Liberators.” During Caesar’s reign the Roman Empire achieved an unprecedented amount of power and land area, stretching from Britain to Africa to the Middle East. Caesar conquered Gaul and led the first Roman invasion of Britain. The Roman Civil War of 50 BC divided …Read more Answer: only during Leap Year… The great-grand-daddy of our February 29th Leap Day goes back to the ancient Romans. I know what you’re thinking: Don’t we have anything that doesn’t go back to them? Uh, yes: numbers, and thank god for that, or taxes would be an even bigger drag. Also the dates of the month aren’t Roman—for which you’ll be …Read more 
February 14 Between Lincoln’s and Washington’s Birthdays in February comes another birthday, one that has been celebrated far longer than either President, but for a man whose life is all but unknown. The awakening of spring has always been associated with the blossoming of love. In the Roman calendar February was the last month of the year, a time of purification before the new agrarian planting season. Lupercalia commemorated the She-wolf that suckled …Read more 
February 13-15 She-wolf suckles Romulus & Remus It’s Lupercalia time, baby. On this day the ancient Romans remembered the She-wolf who suckled the baby Romulus—the future founder of Rome–and his brother Remus. The priests of Rome, known as the Luperci, or ”Brotherhood of the Wolf,’ would commemorate this day by running around in loincloths smacking women on the back with an animal-skins. What is immediately apparent in a comparison between the sacred rites of then and now is …Read more 
February 9 February 9th is Showtime for Apollo, the sun god of the ancient Greeks, whose chariot rode across the heavens each day. February 9 wasn’t the only feast for Apollo. The Spartans celebrated Apollo in August (Carneia). The Athenians celebrated his birthday in May (Thargelia) and held a harvest festival in his honor in October (Pyanepsia). But according to Roman records, at some point the Festival of Apollo was celebrated on the Vth (5th) day before …Read more 
February 1 or 2
Brigid was a Celtic goddess whose festival was celebrated on February 1st and 2nd. Brigid’s Day, or Imbolc, …Read more 
January 24
Today is the annual Alasitas festival in Bolivia’s capital city of La Paz. Alasitas isn’t a Spanish word but an Aymara one. It means something akin to “Buy me.” And if you thought El Norte held a monopoly on consumerism, don’t put your money on it. Alasitas is all about prosperity in the coming year. People buy miniatures of whatever it is they hope to achieve. Actually it’s better luck if someone else …Read more 
January 11 If you’re like everyone I know, you had a baby this Fall. But if you (or your loved one) are still expecting, you might want to give a shout out to Carmenta today, the Roman Goddess of Prophecy, Protectress of women in childbirth, and an early symbol of women’s lib. Today marks the first day of Carmentalia, the Roman festival in her honor, observed by the women of ancient Rome. This corresponds in name to the …Read more |
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