Lupercalia
The Lupercalia festival was celebrated on 15 February at the Lupercal, the sacred grove where the mythical lupa (she-wolf) suckled Romulus and Remus, the kings of shepherds. The Luperci priests sacrificed goats and a dog (notorious for their strong sexual instincts) to the god Lupercus, as a rustic fertility festival designed to make the shepherds' flocks fertile for the coming year. Two noble youths had their foreheads touched with a sword dipped in the victims' blood, then wiped off with wool dipped in milk, and they shouted out laughter, as a symbolical purification of the shepherds. A feast was held, with plentiful wine. The youths were dressed as the god Lupercalus, half-naked and half-covered with goat-skins. They ran through the streets of Rome, striking people with strips of bloody goat-skin, especially women, who even came forward, believing this ritual rendered them fruitful and procured an easy childbirth. Running through the city was a symbolic purification of the land and people called lustrare and februare. The goat-skin itself was called februum, the festive day dies februata, the month in which it occurred Februarius, and the god himself Februus.
During his consulship Marc Antony was one of the Luperci, and not only ran with them half-naked through the city, but even addressed the people in the forum in this rude attire. The festival was celebrated regularly down to the time of the emperor Anastasius (500 AD). Lupercalia were also celebrated in other towns of Italy and Gaul, for Luperci are mentioned in inscriptions of Velitrae, Praeneste, Nemausus, and other places.
During his consulship Marc Antony was one of the Luperci, and not only ran with them half-naked through the city, but even addressed the people in the forum in this rude attire. The festival was celebrated regularly down to the time of the emperor Anastasius (500 AD). Lupercalia were also celebrated in other towns of Italy and Gaul, for Luperci are mentioned in inscriptions of Velitrae, Praeneste, Nemausus, and other places.
