ludi martiales

LUDI MARTIA´LESor rather MARTIS ULTO´RIS. The temple to Mars Ultor was dedicated on Aug. 1, 2 B.C., in the Forum Augusti (Dio Cass.). The dedication of the temple and celebration of games to Mars Ultor held on May 12 (Fasti Maffeiani in C. I. L. 1. p. 305; Ov. Fast. 5.597) refer to the temple provisionally erected in the Capitol in 20 B.C. (Dio Cass.): cf. Mommsen in C. I. L. 1.393. These games were celebrated annually (Dio Cass.) by the consuls (ib. 56.46). Senators had the privilege of contracting f<*> the horses used in these games (ib. 55.10). A<*>aumachia was given on the occasion of the dedication of the temple (Vell. 2.100); als ludi sevirales, i.e. evolutions of the six turn e of cavalry, each with its sevir at its head (Dio Cass. l. c.). There appears to have been occasionally a venatio (ib. 56.27).