ludi romani

For thousands of years, September has been a month of festivals, religious, military and harvest. We shall explore several of them this month beginning with the Roman festival Ludi Romani, the Roman Games.

Always a public holiday, the Ludi Romani, celebrated on the Ides of September 509 BC , were held to honor the god Jupiter Optimus Maximus (Jupiter the best and greatest) whose intersession was believed essential during the Roman wars against the Sabines. A temple dedicated to the Roman's principal gods Jupiter, Juno and Minerva was dedicated at that time.

Festivals proved to be popular with the Romans and over the centuries the one day Ludi Romani festival evolved into a two week public orgy as days were added in honor of other gods and once human, now divine heroes. Upon Julius Caesar's death the Ludi Romani, already a 14 day festival was expanded once more to include September 4, in honor of the Caesar.

Party on.

Toad