Feriæ Latīnæ

, festivals at Rome instituted by Tarquin the Proud. The principal magistrates of 47 towns in Latium usually a embled on a mount near Rome, where they, together with the Roman magistrates, offered a bull to Jupiter Latialis, of which they carried home some part after the immolation, after they had sworn mutual friendship and alliance. It continued but one day originally, but in proce of time four days were dedicated to its celebration. Dionysius of Halicarna us , bk. 4 , ch. 49 .— Cicero , ltr. 6 .— Livy , bk. 21 , . The fer iæ among the Romans were certain days set apart to celebrate festivals, and during that time it was unlawful for any person to work. They were either public or private. The public were of four different kinds. The fer iæ stativæ were certain immovable days always marked in the calendar, and observed by the whole city with much festivity and public rejoicing. The fer iæ conceptivæ were movable feasts, and the day appointed for the celebration was always previously fixed by the magistrates or priests. Among these were the fer iæ Latinæ , which were first established by Tarquin, and observed by the consuls regularly before they set out for the provinces; the Compital i a , . The fer iæ imperativæ were appointed only by the command of the consul, dictator, or pretor, as a public rejoicing for some important victory gained over the enemies of Rome. The fer iæ Nundinæ were regular days in which the people of the country and neighbouring towns a embled together and exposed their respective commodities to sale. They were called Nundinæ, because kept every ninth day. The fer iæ privatæ were observed only in families, in commemoration of birthdays, marriages, funerals, and the like. The days on which the fer iæ were observed were called by the Romans fest i dies , because dedicated to mirth, relaxation, and festivity.