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The Lupercalia (Latin Lupercalus) was a festival of purification and fertility in ancient Rome - held every year on 15th February. It was named after the god Lupercus, the Roman equivalent of the Greek god Pan.
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What is the Lupercal and what is the significance of this place?
The Lupercal was a cave at the Palatine hill where the pastoral religious festival of the Lupercalia was performed. The name was derived from the lupa (she-wolf) who suckled the baby twins Romulus and Remus. The Lupercal was said to be the place where the she-wolf found them after they landed in the area. The twins were said to have been thrown in the river Tiber by the king of Alba Longa The Lupercalia was a celebration of Lupercus, the god of shepherds. It was officiated by a priests called Luperci (brothers of the lupus, wolf) the college of priests of Lupercus. The festival involved the sacrifice of a goat and a dog, two animals with a strong sex drive. Two noble youths anointed the foreheads of the priests with a sword dipped in the blood of the victims. The priests wiped the blood off with wool soaked in milk. The youths then had to laugh loud. Afterwards there was a feast. Then the priests cut the skin of the goats and covered the part of their bodies with goat skin (Lupercus was depicted half naked and half covered with goat skin). They also cut thongs. They then run half naked though the streets of the Palatine hill, striking people. This act was symbolic of purifying the land and of fertility. The struck men were purified. Young women lined up to be hit. This was to ensure fertility and ease the pains of labour.
What was the feast of Lupercal?
First of all--terms. Lupercal was not a feast, it was a cave. It was supposed to be the cave where Romulus and Remus were nursed by the she-wolf. The feast was the Lupercalia. Both cave and festival come from the Latin word for wolf (lupus). The Lupercalia was a religious festival in honour of Lupercus, a pastoral god of fertility and protector of sheep and goat from attack by wolves. It was officiated by priests called luperci. It lasted three days and started with the sacrifice of two goats and a dog by the Lupercal. Two youths were initiated to the priesthood. A feast followed. On the last day the priests cut the goat skin and covered part of the body of two initiates with it because Lupercus was depicted as half covered with goat skin and half naked. They also made thongs with the goat skin. The Lupercalia was a very old festival (probably pre-Roman) of both purification and fertility. The two half-naked youths led the priests in a run around the Palatine hill and hit the ground and people with the thongs. Young women would hold out their hands to them and would have their hands hit. This was supposed to ensure fertility and ease the pains of labour. As the men ran around the perimeter of Palatine Hill, the hitting of the ground purified and protected the hill. The evil which caused illness was supposed to be driven out. The priests were both goats (a symbol of fertility) and dogs (protectors of the flock from the wolves). The thongs were called februa (a Latin word which referred to means of purification) and the festival occurred in February, the month of purification. It was one of the logiest surviving pagan festivals. It was finally suppressed by Pope Gelasius in 495.
What is Marc Anthony famous for?
Unfortunately, Marc Antony is famous for the hyped up romance with Cleopatra. His other accomplishments, although not as great a some would have you believe, are overshadowed by his affair with Cleo and its consequences.
