Today it is Dies Nefastus Publicus – the day reserved for religious holidays. They are almost like Dies NEFASTI, but administrative activities must not be performed during them. It is not recommended to perform any kind of physical labor. So, if you want to hang out with your fellow-Romans – don’t talk about serious matters – just gather together and praise a God or a Goddess to whom this specific day is dedicated. Oh! And don’t forget to give your slaves a day-off!
It is the 3rd day before Kalendae Martiae.
It is the B nundial day, the 2 days before Nundinae – the market day this year.
The Equirria are two ancient Roman festivals of chariot racing, or perhaps horseback racing, held in honor of the god Mars, one 27 February and the other 14 March. The Equirria were said to have been founded by Romulus, the son of Mars. Both appear on the oldest Roman calendars inscribed on stone. The Equirria are part of what Michael Lipka calls “temporal focalization” in the Roman conception of deity. The festivals of Mars—the 27 February Equirria, a feria on the Kalends of March (a day sacred also to his mother Juno), Agonalia 17 March, Tubilustrium 23 March, the ritual of the October Horse 15 October, and Armilustrium 19 October—cluster at his namesake month (Latin Martius), except for festivals of Mars in October to close the military campaigning season. In the earliest form of the calendar, the year began with March, and thus the 27 February Equirria originally preceded New Year’s Day, and was the last festival for Mars of the year.
