Stars, Myths and Rituals in Etruscan Rome (eBook)

The Beginning of Astronomical Time and the Feriae Martis.- The Numan Year, the Romulean Year and the Feriale antiquissimum.- The Names of Etruscan and Roman Months.- The Numan Cycle.- The Numan Year and Cycle, and the Motion of the Moon.- The Numan Cycle and the Movements of the Sun, the Moon and Venus.- The Solar New Year on March 8 or 9.- The Movements of the Moon and Venus and the Language of Myth.- The Motion of Venus.- The Movements of Venus (and the Moon), Female Fertility, and the Feast Days of Veneralia and Matralia.- The Length of Pregnancy, the Solar New Year, and the Feasts of Matronalia and Liberalia.- The Solstice Feasts: Fors Fortuna and Saturnalia.- Solar Eclipses, Lunar Eclipses and the Cycle of Saros.- The cycle of Saros and the Feast Days of Feriae Martis and Anna Perenna.- The Frequency of Solar and Lunar Eclipses, and the Festivities of the Numan Year.- Roman and Mesopotamian Eclipses: the Feast Days of Regifugium and Vestalia.- The Revolution of the Line of Nodes, and the Feast Days of October Equus, Fordicidia and Parilia.- The Ascendant Node at the First Point of Aries, and the Festival of Summanus.- The Revolution of the Line of the Apsides, and the Feast of Compitalia.- Composition of the Revolutions of the Lines of Nodes and Apsides.- The Numan Cycle as a Reference Framework for Celestial Motion.- The Movements of the Superior Planets and the Ancilia, the “Sacred Shields”.- The Heavens of the Fixed Stars and their Custodian, Janus.- From the Robigalia on April 25 to the Entrance of the Sun in Aries for the Festivity of Anna Perenna on March 15.- The Entrance of the Sun in Aries to its Entrance in Pisces for the Terminalia on February 23, and the Vespertine Rise of Arcturus.- The Vespertine Rising of Arcturus for the Terminalia on February 23 and the Relationship Between the Romulean and Numan calendars.- Reform of the Romulean Year and the Transition to the Numan Year.- (Inevitable) Conclusion: per aspera ad astra.