Sixth month of the Roman calendar dedicated to the hunting goddess, Diana . His obvious ordinal name endured until, as had happened with his predecessor Gaius Julius Caesar, a Senate decree ruled to change the name of the month to the unquestionable Princeps of the Republic, savior of the state and adopted son of the assassinated dictator for life, Caius Julius Caesar Augustus. The reasons given by the fathers of Rome for this appointment have clearly reached our days:
While the emperor Augustus Caesar, in the month of Sextilis, was first admitted to the consulship, and thrice entered the city in triumph, and in the same month the legions, from the Ianiculum [mount of Rome], placed themselves under his auspices, and in the same month Egypt came under the authority of the Roman people, and in the same month the civil wars were ended; and that for these reasons said month is, and has been, the most fortunate in this empire, it is hereby decreed by the Senate that said month shall be called Augustus.
It is true that the life and deeds of the princeps and Sextilis were intimately linked:it was the month in which he was invested for the first time as consul, the month in which he celebrated three triumphs, the month in which he incorporated Egypt into the republic and, with This ended the civil wars that devastated old Rome since the times of Silla and Marius to Mark Antony and Cleopatr a… and it was also the month in which Augustus died. It was said some time later that it was Augustus who equated the same number of days in his month as in Iulius so as not to detract from his predecessor, but the truth is that in the calendar reform carried out by the wise Alexandrian Sosigenes by order of Caesar in 45 BC the month of Sextilis already had 31 days.
Julius Caesar Augustus
The second day of the Kalendas of Sextilis was a holiday as it commemorated Caesar's campaigns in Hispania Citerior when he was propraetor of the province and dedicated himself to looting Gallecia to recover funds with which to settle his astronomical debts. This festivity coincided with the Pythian Games in honor of Apollo Pitio. They were held every four years, without coinciding with the Olympics.
The 12th was consecrated to Hercules . A bull was sacrificed to the demigod in the morning, it was offered to him in the afternoon and, by torchlight, a procession was carried out whose end included a banquet in which the meat and skin of the victim were consumed. This may be the beginning of the summer bullfighting festivities.
The following day began the Vertumnales, the major festivities of Vertumno , god of Etruscan origin, guarantor of the transit of seasons and changes, protector of crops and patron of trade. The night of the 13th was considered the hottest of the year, which is why sacred rites in honor of Diana took place there. in which the devotees of the goddess went to the forest adorned with garlands, the vestals carried her sacred fire to the goddess, who brandished a torch that night in her provisional temple, and sacrifices and votive offerings were made in her honor. she. The festivities lasted until the 15th, when the youth were purified in the waters and a banquet was held based on roast kid, wine and steamed cakes on apple tree branches full of seasonal fruit.
On the 17th, two minor cults were held; Portuno , divinity of doors and ports whose only contribution to our times is the adjective "inopportune", and Tiberino Silvio , one of the legendary kings of Alba Longa in the dark times between Aeneas and Romulus who died fighting in the river. His vassals renamed that channel with his name; the Tiber River.
On the 19th, the Vinalia took place, a festivity in honor of the great father Jupiter in which his protection of the vineyards was claimed against the summer storms that could ruin the harvest. Augustus died on the 19th day of 14 AD
On the 21st, the Consuals were celebrated, the festivities of the god Conso , protector of silos and grain. On this day the first ears of corn were offered to the god and shooting competitions were held on horseback, adorned and freed from their common tasks, as is still done in many towns in the province of Valencia with the traditional "Tiro y Drag".
In line with the protection of the crops, on the 23rd the Vulcanalia was celebrated, the festivities of the god of fire, Vulcano , imploring his protection from the summer fires that could devour the wheat fields in a heartbeat. It is curious that before real estate speculation existed, the Romans already feared arsonists...
The month ended with two minor festivities, the Opiconsives on the 25th and the Volturnales on the 27th. The former were dedicated to Ops Consiva , subterranean divinity of agricultural abundance, while the latter were Volturno , archaic divinity of the rivers and responsible for the dreaded autumn floods.
Collaboration of Gabriel Castelló author of Bravery