Ancient Roman ''fasti'' were calendars ''( fasti)'' that recorded religious observances and officially commemorated events. They were typically displayed in the form of an inscription at a prominent public location such as a major temple; several of these ''fasti'' survive, but in states of varying fragmentation. Some calendars are preserved as

papyri Papyrus ( ) is a material similar to thick paper that was used in ancient times as a writing surface. It was made from the pith of the papyrus plant, ''Cyperus papyrus'', a wetland sedge. ''Papyrus'' (plural: ''papyri'') can also refer to a d ...

or manuscripts. One of the original purposes of Roman calendars was to mark the religious and legal status of each day, by means of letters such as ''C, F,'' and ''NP''. By the late 2nd century AD, extant calendars no longer show days marked with these letters, probably in part as a result of calendar reforms undertaken by Marcus Aurelius. A ''feriale'' is a listing only of dates for religious or official observances, not a day-by-day accounting of time. The words ''fasti'' and ''feriale'' are not always distinct in usage, and both ''fasti'' and ''ferialia'' are listed below. Extant ''fasti'' include those known by the following names: * ''Fasti Allifani'' (CIL IX 2320) * ''Fasti Amiternini'', dating to the reign of Tiberius, were found at Amiternum (now

San Vittorino San Vittorino Amiterno is a village in the Abruzzo, region of central Italy. It is a ''frazione'' of the ''comune'' of L'Aquila. History S. Vittorino is important because the ancient Roman city of Amiternum Amiternum was an ancient Sabine ...

) in Sabine territory. * '' Fasti Antiates Maiores'' (84–55 BC), from the '' colonia'' of Antium, is the earliest Roman calendar to survive; its large size (1.16m by 2.5 m) allowed the presentation of complex condensed information. * ''Fasti Antiates Ministrorum Domus Augustae'', also from Antium, includes a list of ''ministri'' from the imperial household as well as a calendar. * ''Feriale Cumanum'' (4–14 AD), from Cumae, was produced during the reign of Augustus and marks several occasions of relevance to the establishment of Imperial cult. These include a

supplicatio In ancient Roman religion, a ''supplicatio'' is a day of public prayer when the men, women, and children of Rome traveled in procession to religious sites around the city praying for divine aid in times of crisis. A ''supplicatio'' can also be a ...

n for Jupiter Sempiternus to commemorate the assumption of the ''

fasces Fasces ( ; ; a ''plurale tantum'', from the Latin word ''fascis'', meaning "bundle"; it, fascio littorio) is a bound bundle of wooden rods, sometimes including an axe (occasionally two axes) with its blade emerging. The fasces is an Italian symbo ...

'' by Augustus, sacrifices on the birthday of Augustus, and the date on which he assumed the ''

toga virilis The toga (, ), a distinctive garment of ancient Rome, was a roughly semicircular cloth, between in length, draped over the shoulders and around the body. It was usually woven from white wool, and was worn over a tunic. In Roman historical tra ...

''. It is one of only two ancient sources that record the first consulship of Augustus (disputed as August 19 or September 22), the other being the '' senatus consultum'' that renamed the month of Sextilis ''Augustus'' (August). The goddess Vesta is prominent in this ''feriale''. * ''

Feriale Duranum The ''Feriale Duranum'' is a calendar of religious observances for a Roman military garrison at Dura-Europos on the Euphrates, Roman Syria, under the reign of Severus Alexander (224–235 AD). History and description The small papyrus roll w ...

'', a calendar of religious observances for a military unit stationed in Dura-Europos,

Roman Syria Roman Syria was an early Roman province annexed to the Roman Republic in 64 BC by Pompey in the Third Mithridatic War following the defeat of King of Armenia Tigranes the Great. Following the partition of the Herodian Kingdom of Judea into tetr ...

in the 3rd century AD. * ''Fasti Esquilini'' * ''Fasti Guidizzolenses'', a small stone calendar (55 by 30 cm) probably produced for private use, found in Augusta Brixia (present-day Brescia), a civic colony ''(colonia civica)''. It is arranged month-by-month in columns, with the Kalends,

Nones Nones may refer to: * ''Nones'' (Auden), a 1951 book of poems by W. H. Auden * ''Nones'' (Berio), a 1954 orchestral composition by Luciano Berio *Nones (calendar), or ''Nonae'', days of the Roman Calendar *None (liturgy), the ninth hour of the trad ...

and Ides marked. These columns contain no letters marking the

nundinal cycle The nundinae (), sometimes anglicized to nundines,. were the market days of the ancient Roman calendar, forming a kind of weekend including, for a certain period, rest from work for the ruling class (patricians). The nundinal cycle, market w ...

or the status of days under religious law, nor holidays. Information on festivals is given in a small ''feriale'' (festival calendar) on the right side of the main calendar. 5145 - Brescia - S

* ''Fasti Maffeiani'', both one of the smallest examples (90 by 70 cm) and one of the most complete. Its date is uncertain;

Mario Torelli Mario Torelli (May 12, 1937 – September 15, 2020) was an Italian scholar of Italic archaeology and the culture of the Etruscans. He taught at the University of Perugia. Torelli was born in Rome, Italy. He was trained by the art historian Ranu ...

places it as 8 AD or later. * '' Fasti Ostienses'', fragmentary marble slabs from

Ostia Antica Ostia Antica ("Ancient Ostia") is a large archaeological site, close to the modern town of Ostia (Rome), Ostia, that is the location of the harbour city of ancient Rome, 25 kilometres (15 miles) southwest of Rome. "Ostia" (plur. of "ostium") is a ...

. In addition to religious observances, they record events from 49 BC to 175 AD, listing the

consuls A consul is an official representative of the government of one state in the territory of another, normally acting to assist and protect the citizens of the consul's own country, as well as to facilitate trade and friendship between the people ...

for each year, events of significance to the Empire as a whole, the local ''

duoviri The duumviri (Latin for "two men"), originally duoviri and also known in English as the duumvirs, were any of various joint magistrates of ancient Rome. Such pairs of magistrates were appointed at various periods of Roman history both in Rome its ...

'', and some local events. * ''

Fasti Praenestini In ancient Rome, the ''fasti'' (Latin plural) were chronological or calendar-based lists, or other diachronic records or plans of official and religiously sanctioned events. After Rome's decline, the word ''fasti'' continued to be used for simil ...

'', with

antiquarian An antiquarian or antiquary () is an fan (person), aficionado or student of antiquities or things of the past. More specifically, the term is used for those who study history with particular attention to ancient artifact (archaeology), artifac ...

commentary on the Roman calendar by Verrius Flaccus. It lacks astronomical notices. * ''Fasti Vallenses'' * ''Fasti Vaticani'', dating 15–31 AD, under the reign of Tiberius. * ''Fasti Venusini'' * ''Fasti Verulani'' * '' Fasti Vindobonenses'', found in the '' Vindobonensis'' manuscript (MS. 3416), together with the Chronography of 354. There are two sets, one covering 44 BC to 403 AD, and 455 to 493 AD; and the other 44 BC to 397 AD, 439 to 455 AD, and 495 to 539.Salzman, ''On Roman Time,'' p. 24.

References

{{Reflist Roman calendar

See also

References