1. Lupercalia Festival (February 15):
- Lupercalia was an ancient Roman festival held to celebrate the coming of spring and the protection of livestock.
- It involved rituals involving the priests known as the Luperci, who ran through the city striking women with strips of animal hide to bestow fertility.
2. Parentalia (February 13-21):
- Parentalia was a period dedicated to honoring deceased relatives and ancestors in ancient Rome.
- Families visited the tombs of their loved ones, made offerings, and performed rituals to appease the spirits of the dead.
3. Matronalia (March 1):
- The Matronalia was a festival honoring Juno, the Roman goddess of marriage and childbirth, as well as other female divinities.
- It was a day when women received gifts and special attention from their husbands and family members.
4. Saturnalia (December 17-23):
- Saturnalia was a major Roman festival that celebrated the god Saturn, the god of agriculture and harvest.
- It was characterized by gift-giving, feasts, and general merriment.
- Social hierarchies were inverted during Saturnalia, with slaves and masters indulging in merriment together.
5. Vestalia (June 7-15):
- Vestalia was a festival dedicated to Vesta, the Roman goddess of the hearth, home, and family.
- The festival involved rituals performed by the Vestal Virgins, who maintained the sacred fire of Vesta.