Roman Calendar and Holiday Entertainments

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Roman Calendar and HolidayEntertainments

• Julius Caesar, 46/45 BC developed the modern
  calendar.
• At the time, all relied on the Ptolemaic cosmic
  systemgeocentric.
• This was not refuted until AD 1543, by Copernicus.

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Each Day divided into a Twelve- Hour Day plus
Twelve-Hour Night

• Day hours begin at
  sunrise, end at sunset.
• Variation in hour length from 66-44 minute hours
  during the year.
• Only two days per year, on the Vernal Equinox (c.
  3/21)and the Autumnal Equinox (c. 9/21) when
  hours were 60 minute length.

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• Table of Daylight Hours at the
  Solstices
• Winter Solstice
  Hora from
  to
• I.prima 733
  817 a.m.
• II.secunda 817
  902 a.m.
• III.tertia 902
  946 a.m.IV.quarta 946
  1031 a.m.V.quinta
  1031
  1115 a.m.VI.sexta 1115
  1200 noonVII.septima
  1200 1244
  p.m.VIII.octava 1244
  129 p.m.IX.nona 129
  213 p.mX.decima
  213 258
  p.m.XI.undecima 258
  342 p.m.XII.duodecima 342
  427 p.m.

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• Summer Solstice
• Hora from
  to
• I.Prima 427
  542 a.m.
• II.Secunda 542
  658 a.m.
• III.Tertia 658
  813 a.m.
• IV.Quarta 813
  929 a.m.
• V.Quinta 929
  1044 a.m.
• VI.Sexta 1044
  1200 noon
• VII.Septima 1200
  115 p.m.
• VIII.Octava 115
  231 p.m.
• IX.Nona 231
  346 p.m.
• X.Decima 346
  502 p.m.
• XI.Undecima 502
  617 p.m
• .XII.duodecima 617
  733 p.m.
• (Table adapted from Daily Life in Ancient Rome by
  Jerome Carcopino pp.167-8.)

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Days of the Week

• Orginally based on Etruscan system, the Nunindae
  7 work days plus 1 market day.
• In Asia (Persians? Judeans?) there was a 6 day
  work week plus 1 market day. By AD 100 the 7 day
  week was common around the Mediterranean.
• (N.B. handout on weekdays)

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Calendars organization

• Three points each month of note
• Kalends on 1st day
• Nones on 7th or 9th
• Ides on 13th or 15th
• Dates reckoned as so many days before Kalens,
  Nones, or Ides inclusively.
• E.g., March 22 10 days before the Kalends of
  April.

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Julian Calendar per annum

• Old System 12 months of various lengths, 355
  days, add extra month of 22/23 days every other
  year.
• 1 Jan. 45 BC, Caesar began 12 month, 365 ¼ ,
• with an extra day every 4 years.
• (N.B. handout on Roman months)
• Each Roman year was named after the consuls
  during that year and years were counted ab urbe
  condita (from the citys founding)

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Dies Feriati Festivals in honor of particular
gods public expense

• 58- DF in early Republic rural festivals
• 49 BC- Senate marked a JC victory by declaring a
  new holiday
• AD 37- There were 32 Imperial Holidays
• AD 70- Senate formed a committee to purge the
  calendar befouled by the flattery of the times
  and reduce strain on the treasury.
• Marcus Aurelius finally set limit at 135 total.

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Holidays, e.g.

• Dies Parentales mid-February
• Cara Cognatio late February
• Saturnalia mid-December
• Anna Perenna mid-March
• Merchants honor Mercury May
• Fishermans holiday June
• Fluteplayers holiday June
• etc.

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Entertainment Ludi State Funded

• Ludi Games
• Ludi Circenses races
• Ludi Scaenici Theater, dance, mime
• Ludi were vowed to gods for general prosperity,
  victories, delivery from danger.
• E.g. During Augustus reign 56 days of Ludi
  Scaenici and 17 days of Ludi Circenses.

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Munera (Gifts) Privately funded

• Connected with Etruscan rites for the dead.
• Nobility offered public gladiatorial fights in
  the name of a particular deceased.
• e.g. AD 65 Julius Caesar showed 320 fighting
  pairs in memory of his father.
• Augustus presented gladiators on 8
  occasions, 10,000 fighters total.

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Gladiators Ludus

• Gladis sword
• Familia training group from same Ludus
• Gladiators drawn from criminals,
• slaves, prisoners, and some
  volunteers (auctorati) had to be 17
• Ludus included training ground, barracks,
  lanista (director), physicians, masseurs
• After Spartacan revolt of 73 BC. Security
  concerns limited no. of gladiators. In empire
  only emperor could own ludus.

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Training

• Wooden sword and dummy
• Doctor (instructor) added specialized training
• e.g. Essedarii fought from chariots
• Eques fought mounted opponent
• Heavy armed Galli, Samnites, Myrmillones,
  etc.
• Light armed Thraces fought with sickle
  light shield Retiarius found with net, trident,
  and daggar.
• Classed as tirones veterani lived in rooms
  12 square, fed barley and beans
• Luda a gladiators groupie
• AD 80 Flavian Amphitheatre covered 6 acres
  surfaced by sand (harena).

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Retiarius andSecutor
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