The first of January holds many celebrations for the New Year. Being the first of the year, and first day of the month,  we naturally begin with Janus, the God of Good Beginnings.  Branches of bay laurel, gathered from the sacred grove of Strenua and carried in procession along the Via Sacra up to the Arx. Strenua is a Sabine Goddess of Purification and Health. She is comparable to Greek Hygenia and to Latin Salus. Her cultus  was introduce by Titus Tatius who ruled as co-chieftan  with … [Read more...]

Whenever a Roman leaves his house he steps out with the right foot first.  Riding in a carriage, entering the Forum, a market, a temple or entering any place, he would always stop and then lead with his right foot. Good beginnings lead to good things. So the Romans believed. This is the origin of our sentiment to "Put your best foot forward" whenever beginning a new venture. That is the idea behind the New Year rite that some practitioners of the modern Religio Romana have adopted.   The … [Read more...]