Officina aedilium plebis MMDCCLX/Ludi Ceriales

 Home| Latíné | Deutsch | Español | Français | Italiano | Magyar | Português | Română | Русский | English

The games of Ceres 12th - 19th April

In Nova Roma, the games of Ceres are conducted by the plebeian aediles, elected by the comitia populi tributa. The games usually feature a variety of activities in which citizens may partake, including literary and general knowledge contests and racing in Nova Roma's virtual circus.

12th of April (pr.id.apr. N)

13th of April (id.apr. NP) Feriae Jovi*1

14th of April (a.d.XVIII.kal.mai. N)

15th of April (a.d.XVII.kal.mai. NP) Fordicidia*2

16th of April (a.d.XVI.kal.mai. N)

17th of April (a.d.XV.kal.mai. N)

18th of April (a.d.XIV.kal.mai. N)

19th of April (a.d.XIII.kal.mai. NP) Cerialia*3

*1 a sheep is sacrificed for Jupiter in Capitolinus Hill

*2 fordicidia = "killing of pregnant cow", a sacrifice of 31 pregnant cows for Tellus (=Terra Mater, goddess similar to Gaia, Demeter and Cybele). In ancient times there were 30 Curias as administrational districts of Rome, and each of them supplied a cow and the 31st was for all of them together. After sacrifice the Vestals took the unborn calfs from the killed cows' wombs and burned them. The ashes of them were preserved for Parilia (21st of April).

*3 Ceres was a goddess for agriculture, similar to Greek Demeter. When there was a severe famine in Rome the Sibylline Books offered an answer: to build a temple for Ceres nearby Circus Maximus. The temple was sacrated at 19th of April 493 BC. For Ceres bisquits made of spelt and salt were sacrificed in the temple. The temple eventually developed as center for plebeijans, and also to a center of plebeijan political power with plebeijan archives. Ludi Ceriales later also had it's chariot race where the audience had to come dressed in white, and after the race foxes with lanterns in their tails were let loose to run in the circus track.