This Day in Ancient History: pridie nonas januarias

Scene from Lararium, House of the Vettii Pompeii
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pridie nonas januarias

  • ludi compitales — day two of a moveable festival which might occur anytime between Saturnalia and January 5. It was largely a rural occasion involving woollen dolls being made to represent each free member of the household (simple woollen balls would be used to represent slaves) being hung up on the eve of the festival, presumably as offerings to the Lares. There would also follow more formal sacrifices at the compita (places where two farm paths crossed).
  • 1785 — birth of Jacob Grimm
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