The Septimontium (seven mountains in Latin) was a Roman festival which took place in early December, during which seven animals were sacrificed, at seven times and in seven different places within the city walls near the seven hills.
Septimontium, the ceremony of the seven mountains
The Roman writer Festus Grammaticus (or Sextus Pompeius Festus) traces the existence of Septimontium to the legendary king of Rome Numa Pompilius.
It was an annual festival celebrated on a fixed date, the day before the Ides of December, i.e. . It is up to Joseph-Juste Scaliger to have been the first to propose the date of . He was followed by Fulvio Orsini.
The date of its celebration is known to us thanks, on the one hand, to Fasti Guidizzolenses and, on the other hand, to the calendar of Furius Dionysius Filocalus. THE , appearing in the calendar calendar of Polemius Silvius, is considered erroneous. THE is an important date. Indeed, for the Roman agronomist Columella, it is the day when, in principle, sowing ends. But it is also the day of celebration of one of the four Agonalia : the one dedicated to the god Indigenous soil.
According to Festus,has festival included sacrifices (sacra) which were among the public sacrifices (publica sacra). According to the Roman jurisconsult Ateius Capiton, cited by Festus, it was not a public festival but a celebrated festival pro montibus.
THE Septimontium includes a procession. His journey is known to us thanks to Labéon, cited by Festus. It starts from the Palatual, on the Palatine Hill, then passes through the Velia, the Fagutal, the Subure, the Germal, the Oppius and the Cælius to end at Cispius. Sacrifices are carried out near the sites of twenty-seven burials of Argées on the heights of the hills. The latter would be according to the tradition of heroic princes greeks came from Argos in Latium with Hercules, who would have chased the Sicules and the Ligurians from the site where Rome would be built.
This festival was originally reserved exclusively for people of Latin origin (the very first inhabitants of Rome) which would confirm that it was a very ancient festival, which could even predate Numa Pompilius and would thus correspond to the first extension of the city's urban center on the Palatine Hill (Roma quadrata) towards the surrounding hills. Under King Servius Tullius, the celebration of the Septimontium would have been extended to the inhabitants descended from the Sabines living on Mount Quirinal.
THE Septimontium becomes a public festival under the Empire, from the principate of Domitian.
According to Plutarch, it is customary, during Septimontium, not to use a harnessed chariot. According to Suetonius, the emperor Domitian innovated by offering a sumptuous feast to the people of Rome during a Septimontium.
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On this day, the Romans began the Septimontium festival. A procession starting from the Palatine Hill and covering the seven mountains and sacrifices paid honor to the heroic Greek princes who came from Argos in Latium with Hercules, who would have chased the Siculians and the Ligurians from the site where Rome would be built. #mythology #myth #legend #calendar #December 11 #Rome #Hercules…
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