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More Festivals Posted by on Aug 14, 2009 in Latin Language

The festival of Portunes called Portumnalia, was celebrated this month. Portunes was the god of keys and doors. Part of his name means door or porta. For this festival the people of Rome threw keys into the fire for good luck. It was believed that Portunes was responsible for whether people would run into good fortune.

Vinalia Rustica was a festival dedicated to Venus, the god of love. Originally this festival was dedicated to Jupiter, the king of all gods. This festival commemorated the ancient Roman victory against an Etruscan King named Menzentius. The people of Rome gave the best vine produced from their vineyards as an offering to Jupiter. Later on, Venus was also honored, because she was the goddess of garden and wine. On this day, people were free to drink however much they want.

Consualia was also a festival celebrated in August in honor of Consus. Consus was the god of harvest. During the ceremonies, the horses and mules used to till the fields are prevented from slaughter and are paraded in the streets with garlands of flowers.

Vulcanalia was celebrated in on the twenty-third of August. It was held in honor of Vulcan, the god of fire. On this day blacksmiths would create a red bull as a sacrifice to Vulcan. Fish and other animals were also given as a sacrifice. During this time of the year, the heat would cause uncontrollable fires that devastated the crops. The people offered their sacrifices to prevent their crops from burning.

During this month, the mundus Cereis was opened. The mundus Cereis was a pit thought to be an entrance to the underworld. When the pit was open, it was thought that the manes or spirits of the dead were able to come out and eat the sacrifices offered to the dead.

 

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