Roman festivals

This is a List of festivals in Ancient Rome, including religious feasts, normal games and political activities, organized by date. Some of these festivals were instituted in different eras. When possible, the initial date is stated.

The most important festivals were the Saturnalia, the Bacchanalia, the Lupercalia and the Bona Dea rites.

January 1 – The new consuls, elected on December, entered office
January 3 – Festival in honour of Pax
January 11 – Carmentalia, in honour of Carmen
January 24 to 26 – Sementivae, in honour of Ceres and Terra
February 13 to 21 – Parentalia, in honour of the ancestors
15 – Lupercalia, in honour of Faunus
February 17 – Quirinalia, in honour of Quirinus
March 1 –
- Roman New Year
- Matronalia, in honour of Juno
- Feriae Marti, in honour of Mars
March 14 – Equirria
March 15 and 16 – Bacchanalia, in honour of Bacchus
March 19 to 23 – Quinquatria, in honour of Minerva
March 30 – Festival of Salus
April 1 – Veneralia, in honour of Venus
April 12 to 19 – Ludi Cerali, games in honour of Cerealia (since 202 BC)
April 15 - Fordicia, in honour of Terra
April 15 - Parilia, in honour of Pales
April 15 - Robigalia, in honour of Robigus, with foot races
April 28 to May 1 – Ludi Florales (Floralia), games in honour of Flora
May 1 – Festival of Bona Dea
May 9 – Feast of the larvae (lemures)
May 15 - Mercuralia, in honour of Mercury
June 3 – Festival in honour of Bellona
June 7 to 15 – Vestalia, in honour of Vesta
June 13 – Quinquatrus minusculae, in honour of Minerva
June 20 – Festival in honour of Summanus
June 23 - day of bad omens: anniversary of the battle of Lake Trasimene, where a Roman army is destroyed by Hannibal
July 5 – Poplifugia, festival in honour of Jupiter
July 6 to 13 – Ludi Apollinares, games in honour of Apollo (since 208 BC)
July 7 – Nonae Caprotinae Juno
July 18 – day of bad omens: defeat in Allia (390 BC) that led to the sack of Rome by the Gauls
July 23 – Neptunalia held in honour of Neptune
August 10 - Festival in honour of Ops
August 13 - Vertumnalias in honour of Vertumnus
August 17 - Portunalia in honour of Portunes
August 18 - Vinalia Rustica in honour of Venus, commemorating the founding of the oldest known temple to her in 293 BC
August 21 – Ludi Consualia, games and races in honour of Consus
August 23 – Vulcanalia, in honour of Vulcan
August 25 - Opiconsivia, in honour of Ops
August 27 – Volturnalia, in honour of Volturnus
September 4 to 19 – Ludi Romani, games for the people of Rome organized by the curule aedile (since 366 BC)
October 6 - day of bad omens: anniversary of the battle of Arausio (105 BC)
October 11 - Meditrinalia is held in honour of Meditrina
October 13 - festival dedicated to Fontus
October 15 – Equirria, the "equus October" sacrificed to Mars in the Campus Martius
October 19 - Armilustrium in honour of Mars
November 4 to 17 – Ludi Plebii, games for the people of Rome organized by the curule aedile (since 216 BC)
November 15 - Festival in honour of Feronia
December 4 – Bona Dea rites, exclusive to women
December 5 – Faunalia, in honour of Faunus
December 9 - Opalia held in honour of Ops
December 17 – Saturnalia in honour of Saturn
December 23 - Larentalia, a festival in honour of Larenta