The Ludi Romani (Roman Games) were a religious festival in ancient Rome. They were held annually since 366 BC, normally from September 12 to September 14, but extended to September 5 to September 19, and eventually started on 4 September in honour of the murdered Julius Caesar. The festival first introduced drama to Rome based on Greek drama. These games (the chief Roman festival) were in honour of Jupiter (Festus, s. v. Magnos Ludos), and are said to have been established by Tarquinius Priscus on the occasion of his conquest of the Latin Apiolae (Livy I.35, 9); though Dionysius (vii. 71) and Cicero (de Div. i. 26, 55) refer the establishment to the victory over the Latins at Lake Regillus. At first they lasted for one day only; a second day was added on the expulsion of the kings in 509 B.C. (Dionys. vi. 95), a third after the first secession, 494 B.C. (Liv. vi. 42, 12). From the year 191 to 171 they lasted ten days (Liv. xxxvi. 2, xxxix. 22, 1; Mommsen, R�m. Forsch. ii. 54), and shortly before Caesars death they appear to have been a fifteen-day festival (Cic. Verr. i. 1. 0, 31), September 5 to September 19. After Caesars death a day was added (Cic. Phil. ii. 4. 3, 110): this day must have been September 4. For Cicero says (Verr. ii. 52, 130) that there was an interval of 45 days from the ludi Romani to the Ludi Victoriae Sullanae on October 26. Accordingly, September 19 in the time the Verrines were composed must have been the last day of the Ludi Romani (C.I.L. I.401); and so it appears in the Calendars of the Augustan time, the days of the games being September 4 to September 19. There was the Epulum Jovis on the 13th, and the Equorum probatio on the 14th. The games in the circus lasted from the 15th to the 19th. In the Calendar of Philocalus (354 A.D.) they run from September 12 to 15 September. The celebration was in the hands at first of the consuls, afterwards of the curule aediles. References en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludi_Romani
Posted on: Wed, 03 Sep 2014 16:57:40 +0000
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