Happy Birthday Roma!

… and what better way to celebrate — or at least start off the celebrations — than with a bit o’ death metal from Ex Deo:

… if you’re not into death metal, just mute the sound and watch the video; it picks up a lot of the Romulus and Remus legend …

This Day in Ancient History: ante diem xi kalendas maias

ante diem xi kalendas maias

Parilia (a.k.a. Palilia) — originally a festival in honour of Pales (who protected shepherds and their flock), it eventually evolved — in the city of Rome, at least — into a ‘birthday of Rome’ celebration
753 B.C. — traditional date for the foundation of Rome
43 B.C. — pro-Caesarian forces “under” Octavian defeat the forces of Marcus Antonius at Mutina
47 A.D. — Claudius celebrates the ludi Saeculares (?)
148 A.D. — Antoninus Pius celebrates the 900th anniversary of Rome
248 A.D. — Philip Arabus celebrates the 1000th anniversary of Rome