The Vitulatio was an annual thanksgiving celebrated in ancient Rome on July 8, the day after the Nonae Caprotinae and following the Poplifugia on July 5. The Poplifugia is a lesser-known festival that was of obscure origin even for the Romans themselves; Macrobius says that it marked a Roman retreat from the Etruscans at Fidenae during the Gallic invasion, and that the Vitulatio commemorated their comeback victory. It was a dies religiosus, a day of religious prohibition when people were to refrain from undertaking any activity other than attending to basic necessities.[1]
By the late Republic, the Vitulatio, like the other festivals held July 5–8, seems to have been eclipsed by the popularity of the Ludi Apollinares, games (ludi) held in honor of Apollo July 6–13.[2]
The verb vitulari meant to chant or recite a formula with a joyful intonation and rhythm.[4] Macrobius says vitulari is the equivalent of Greek paianizein (παιανίζειν), "to sing a paean," a song expressing triumph or thanksgiving.[5] He offers, however, an antiquarian range of etymologies, including one from victoria, "victory." One modern explanation relates the word Vitulatio to vitulus, "heifer," the animal that served as a ritual scapegoat at Iguvium, as described by the Iguvine Tablets.[6]
Referencesedit
^H.H. Scullard, Festivals and Ceremonies of the Roman Republic (Cornell University Press, 1981), pp. 163, 45–46.
^William Warde Fowler, The Roman Festivals of the Period of the Republic (London, 1908), p. 179'; Robert Turcan, The Gods of Ancient Rome (Routledge, 2001), p. 75.
vitulatio, annual, thanksgiving, celebrated, ancient, rome, july, after, nonae, caprotinae, following, poplifugia, july, poplifugia, lesser, known, festival, that, obscure, origin, even, romans, themselves, macrobius, says, that, marked, roman, retreat, from, . The Vitulatio was an annual thanksgiving celebrated in ancient Rome on July 8 the day after the Nonae Caprotinae and following the Poplifugia on July 5 The Poplifugia is a lesser known festival that was of obscure origin even for the Romans themselves Macrobius says that it marked a Roman retreat from the Etruscans at Fidenae during the Gallic invasion and that the Vitulatio commemorated their comeback victory It was a dies religiosus a day of religious prohibition when people were to refrain from undertaking any activity other than attending to basic necessities 1 By the late Republic the Vitulatio like the other festivals held July 5 8 seems to have been eclipsed by the popularity of the Ludi Apollinares games ludi held in honor of Apollo July 6 13 2 Etymology editThe eponymous goddess Vitula it embodied joy or perhaps life vita According to Vergil 3 she received first fruits offerings The verb vitulari meant to chant or recite a formula with a joyful intonation and rhythm 4 Macrobius says vitulari is the equivalent of Greek paianizein paianizein to sing a paean a song expressing triumph or thanksgiving 5 He offers however an antiquarian range of etymologies including one from victoria victory One modern explanation relates the word Vitulatio to vitulus heifer the animal that served as a ritual scapegoat at Iguvium as described by the Iguvine Tablets 6 References edit H H Scullard Festivals and Ceremonies of the Roman Republic Cornell University Press 1981 pp 163 45 46 Scullard Festivals and Ceremonies p 163 Vergil Georgics 3 77 Macrobius Saturnalia III 2 12 William Warde Fowler The Roman Festivals of the Period of the Republic London 1908 p 179 Robert Turcan The Gods of Ancient Rome Routledge 2001 p 75 Scullard Festivals and Ceremonies p 163 nbsp This Ancient Rome related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte This article related to a festival in Europe is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Vitulatio amp oldid 1216952820, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
