"(...) Feriae ('holidays' in the sense of 'holy days'; singular also feriae or dies ferialis) were either public (publicae) or private (privatae)."
Roman festivals were generally tied to the cycles of farming, with spring festivals focused on planting and summer festivals focused on harvest.
The Gods and Goddesses of the pantheon: The deities and their respective roles in the Roman mythology, such as Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, and Mars.
The origins and history of Roman festivals: The early beginnings of the festival traditions and how they evolved over time, such as Saturnalia, Lupercalia, and Bacchanalia.
The significance and meaning of festival rituals: The customs, traditions, and practices associated with festivals, including sacrifices, processions, and feasts.
The role of priests and priestesses in festivals: The religious leaders who performed the rituals and oversaw the ceremonies during festivals.
The social and cultural context of festivals: The ways in which festivals reflected and reinforced cultural values, social structures, and political ideologies, such as the importance of family, community, and state.
The artistic and literary expressions of festivals: The art, music, poetry, and drama that were created and performed during festivals.
The legacy and influence of Roman mythology and festivals: The enduring impact of Roman mythology and festivals on Western culture, such as the Christmas and Easter holidays.
The diversity and adaptability of festival traditions: The ways in which different regions and communities customized and modified festivals to suit their particular needs and beliefs.
The relationship between religion and politics in Roman society: The complex interplay between religious and political power and how festivals were used to legitimize and reinforce political authority.
The intersection of gender, sexuality, and festival traditions: The various ways in which gender and sexuality were represented and renegotiated during festivals, such as the role of women in Bacchanalian rites.
Saturnalia: Celebrated in December, it was a time of public merrymaking and gift-giving in honor of the god Saturn.
Lupercalia: Celebrated in February, it was a fertility festival where men ran through the streets naked, striking women with leather thongs to promote fertility.
Vestalia: Celebrated in June, it was the festival of the Roman goddess Vesta, protectress of the hearth and home. It honored her by cleaning the temples and lighting new fires.
Quinquatria: Celebrated in March, it was a festival dedicated to the god Mars and included military games, sacrifices, and contests of strength.
Consualia: Celebrated in August, it honored the god Consus, who was the god of harvest and horses. It included chariot races and horse races, and the priests of Consus would feast on the first fruits of the harvest.
Parentalia: Celebrated in February, it was a nine-day festival honoring ancestors and spirits, including sacrifices and offerings at tombs.
Floralia: Celebrated in April, it honored the goddess Flora, who was the goddess of flowers and spring. It included flower processions, theatrical performances, and games.
Liberalia: Celebrated in March, it was a festival of wine and freedom, honoring the god Liber, who was the god of wine and fertility. It included wine drinking, musical performances, and parades.
"State holidays were celebrated by the Roman people and received public funding. Games (ludi), such as the Ludi Apollinares, were not technically feriae, but the days on which they were celebrated were dies festi, holidays in the modern sense of days off work."
"Feriae privatae were holidays celebrated in honor of private individuals or by families. Although feriae were paid for by the state, ludi were often funded by wealthy individuals."
"Feriae publicae were of three kinds: Stativae, Conceptivae, and Imperativae."
"Stativae were annual holidays that held a fixed or stable date on the calendar."
"Conceptivae were annual holidays that were moveable feasts; the date was announced by the magistrates or priests who were responsible for them."
"Imperativae were holidays held 'on demand' when special celebrations or expiations were called for."
"One of the most important sources for Roman holidays is Ovid's Fasti, an incomplete poem that describes and provides origins for festivals from January to June at the time of Augustus."
"State holidays were celebrated by the Roman people and received public funding."
"Games (ludi), such as the Ludi Apollinares, were not technically feriae, but the days on which they were celebrated were dies festi, holidays in the modern sense of days off work."
"Although feriae were paid for by the state, ludi were often funded by wealthy individuals."
"Festivals in ancient Rome were a very important part in Roman religious life during both the Republican and Imperial eras, and one of the primary features of the Roman calendar."
"Ovid's Fasti, an incomplete poem that describes and provides origins for festivals from January to June at the time of Augustus."
"State holidays were celebrated by the Roman people and received public funding."
"Feriae publicae were holidays celebrated by the state priests of Rome at temples, as well as celebrations by neighborhoods, families, and friends held simultaneously throughout Rome."
"The date of conceptivae holidays was announced by the magistrates or priests who were responsible for them."
"Imperativae were holidays held 'on demand.'"
"The days on which games like Ludi Apollinares were celebrated were dies festi, holidays in the modern sense of days off work."
"Feriae privatae were holidays celebrated in honor of private individuals or by families."
"This article deals only with public holidays, including rites celebrated by the state priests of Rome at temples, as well as celebrations by neighborhoods, families, and friends held simultaneously throughout Rome."