August Calendar

August is the Roman month of Sextilis. The first day of the month is the Kalends, sacred to Juno. The Nones falls on the 5th and the Ides, sacred to Jupiter, falls on the 13th. The 2nd, 6th and 14th are unlucky (ater).

Sacra Publica
17th: Portunalia
19th: Vinalia Rustica
21st: Consualia
23rd: Volcanalia
25th: Opiconsivia
27th: Volturnalia

The second half of the month has a string of feriae (festivals) of the sacra publica. Scheid (An Introduction to Roman Religion) observes that these are all very ancient festivals and they all have a connection with the harvest. The Portunalia, "entering plots of land (in wagons?)", the Vinalia, "beginning the grape harvest", the Consualia, "storing the harvests", the Volcanalia, "fire prevention (in the storage chambers)", the Opiconsiva, "organizing cereal reserves", the Volturnalia, "transporting produce along the Tiber (?)".

La deuxième moitié du mois a une chaîne de feriae de la sacra publica. Scheid (Introduction à la religion romaine) observe que ce sont toutes les fêtes très anciennes et elles ont toutes un lien avec la récolte. Le Portunalia, «entrer dans les parcelles de terre (dans des wagons?)», Le Vinalia, «début des vendanges», le Consualia, «le stockage des récoltes», le Volcanalia, «la prévention des incendies (dans les chambres de stockage)», le Opiconsiva, «les "réserves de céréales organisation», le Volturnalia, «le transport des produits le long du Tibre (?)».

La seconda metà del mese è una stringa di feriae, dei sacra publica. Scheid (Introduzione alla religione romana) osserva che queste sono tutte feste molto antiche e tutte hanno una connessione con il raccolto. I Portunalia (entrare nei terreni (in carri?)), I Vinalia (a cominciare la vendemmia), i Consualia (la conservazione dei raccolti), i Volcanalia (prevenzione, incendi (nelle camere di stoccaggio)), gli Opiconsiva (l'organizzazione si riserva di cereali), i Volturnalia (trasporto dei prodotti lungo il Tevere (?)).

Ovid (Fasti IV.897ff) wrote:

"Autumn came, dyed with the trodden grapes: The wine, justly owed to Jupiter, was paid. So the day is called the Vinalia: Jupiter claims it, And loves to be present at his feast."

There is an association in April of Venus with the Vinalia Urbana. If there is also an association of Venus with the Vinalia Rustica, it may be to give thanks for her generative powers, since with the harvest her work is complete. These are some ideas for modern cultores deorum for activities that can be integrated with festivals:

• Harvesting fruits or grains (Portunalia)
• Cleaning the garden and garden shed (Portunalia)
• Making wine (Vinalia)
• Preserving fruits, vegetables or other crops (Consualia)
• Participating in a farmer's market (Volturnalia)
• Fire prevention; cleaning dry brush, inspecting fire alarms and extinguishers (Volcanus)

Remember: try to make this a family or community event!