Festivals : The Lupercalia Flashcards
What was the festival originally derived from
It was derived from a pastoral festival of purification and fertility
Which God did this festival honour
The God Lupercus who was the protector of farmers, harvesting and packs of wild animals
What does the word lupus mean
It means wolf - the festival also honoured Rome’s founder, Romulus
When did the festival take place
Annually on the 15th of February
Who was the priests for this festival and how were they chosen
The priests were called the Luperci and were especially chosen for the day by the noble male population.
What would happen at the beginning of the day
The Luperci would meet in the Lupercal which was a cave on Palatine hill
What happened at the Lupercal (cave) and what did it contain
It was believed that this was the place where Romulus and Remus were suckled by the she-wolf - the cave contained an altar to Lupercus
What was sacrificed and why
Dogs and goats were sacrificed because of their virility
How were the animal sacrificed
They would have mola salsa sprinkled on their heads and their throats slit
What would happen to the two male participants after the sacrifice
A knife was dipped in the sacrificial blood and then dripped onto the foreheads of the male participants and then it was immediately washed off with wool soaked in milk. The men were required to laugh
Who read the entrails of the sacrificial animals
How Haruspex would read the entrails for positive signs
What would happen to a sacrificial meat
The sacrificial meat would be eaten and a large amount of wine drunk
What happened after the feast was consumed
The Luperci would cut the skins from the animals into stripes - some were used for covering part of the body, some were used during the race
What happened at the race
Runners run naked because the garden the honoured shed his clothes. Runners would whip spectators with the leather strips to grant fertility to those they struck. It was popular with women
Where did the race take place
Around the Palatine Hill through the Roman forum
