Neptunalia

NEPTUNA´LIAa festival of Neptune, celebrated at Rome (Varr. L. L. 6.19). The day on which it was held was the 23rd of July. In the ancient calendaria this day is marked as Nept. ludi et feriae, or Nept. ludi, from which we see that the festival was celebrated with games. Respecting the ceremonies of this festival, nothing is known, except that the people used to build huts of branches and foliage (umbrae, Fest. s. v. Umbrae), in which they probably feasted, drank, and amused themselves. (Hor. Carm. 3.28, 1, &c.; Tertull. de Spect. 6.) The lines of Ausonius (Ecl. de Feriis, 19 ff.) may perhaps imply that navigia took part in the festival of Neptune, while quadrigae belonged to the Consualia.