Vulcanalia: A Festival for Fire (Fyre Festival)

Volunteer Blog - Alex Hugman
In our modern societies we often view fire as the enemy, a beautiful monster full of destruction. The further we go back in history the greater the influence of fire can be. Fire was the sun captured, the spirit of God, lightning's wrath and man's best means to advance above our base nature - and sometimes we worshipped it. Find out about the Vulcanalia here. Read more

Vestalia - Festival of Vesta

Volunteer Blog - Lesley Laws
The festival of Vestalia, an important day in the Roman holidays’ calendar, was celebrated on June 9th in the temple Vesta, a small round temple in the forum of Rome. Vesta was the goddess of the hearth fire and of the home. Read more

Rosaliae signorum - Rose Festivals of the Standards

Volunteer Blog - Sheila Cadge
It is likely that you will have seen, in films, maybe, or at re-enactment events, Roman standards being proudly carried at the head of troops.  This blog explores what a military standard was, and what it stood for, as well as examining the Rose Festivals, an important event in the Roman military religious calendar. Read more

The Parilia Festival – Rome’s Birthday

Volunteer Blog - Richard Ayling
Celebrated on April 21st, the Parilia or Rome's birthday started as a ritual to purify the flock. Find out more here. Read more

Megalesia and comparisons of ‘The Mother Goddess'

Volunteer Blog - Helen Charlie Nellist
The Mother Goddess is one of the most important in Ancient religions.  The festival of Megalesia in Ancient Rome celebrated the Mother Goddess. This blog explores this festival and looks briefly at wider other Mother Goddess belief systems. Read more

How did the Romans celebrate Spring?

Volunteer Blog - Andy Hugman
You might think that this would be a simple question.  But for historians there are lots of things to consider when trying to answer this question as life was very different for people living in Roman Britain than it is for us today. Read this blog to find out more. Read more

Quinquatrus - Festival of Minerva

Volunteer Blog - Paul Blake
The Quinquatrus is a five-day festival in March to celebrate Minerva. Find out more about it in this blog. Read more

Matronalia - Celebrating the Roman mother

Volunteer Blog - Sheila Cadge
The Matronalia was an important festival in the Roman calendar which celebrated Juno, childbirth and motherhood. Read more

Mars and the Roman New Year

Volunteer Blog - Peter Carney
On March 1st the Romans celebrated new years day and the month is named after the Roman god of war and agriculture, Mars. Find out more about him here. Read more

Parentalia - Festival of the Ancestors

Volunteer Blog - Lesley Laws
Parentalia was the Roman festival to celebrate your ancestors. During the nine days of the festival all temples were closed, no weddings took place, and magistrates wore no insignia indicating that no official business was conducted. Read more

Celebrating the Fornacalia

Volunteer Blog - Ann Hetherington
Fornax, the goddess of ovens and furnaces is not one that is talked about much in modern times. But worshiped her to aid in cooking, to prevent burnt offerings and serious house fires. Read more

Lupercalia and its relationship to Valentine's Day

Volunteer Blog - Helen Charlie Nellist
Lupercalia was originally a pagan festival of fertility and prosperity. Find out here more about its links with the modern Valentine's Day. Read more