a.d. VI Id. Feb.
February 8 in Ancient Rome
Africa pays for recruits as Alaric threatens Rome
politicsAD 410
Julian date · ≈ Feb 9 on our calendar
Honorius demanded recruits, valued at 30 solidi each, from Africa, Sardinia, Sicily and Corsica, but excused notables who had been driven from Italy or Rome by barbarian devastation.
Honorius
Background
In 410 the West was in crisis. Alaric's Goths had besieged Rome twice and set up a puppet emperor, Priscus Attalus; Honorius sat in Ravenna, and much of Italy had been plundered. The army needed men, but landowners resisted handing over farm workers as recruits.
This law, sent to the count of the privy purse, demanded recruits valued at 30 solidi each from all the offices of the judges in Africa, as had been done before, and also from honorati (former officials) of those provinces and of Sardinia, Sicily and Corsica. Exempt were those currently holding public office and those driven from Italy or Rome by barbarian devastation.
In practice, valuing a recruit in gold meant many paid cash rather than men. Six months later, in August 410, Alaric sacked Rome.
Ancient source: Theodosian Code 7.13.20 · Reference
Sources
☁ Rome today (1991–2020 avg): 12°/3°C (54°/37°F) · rain 32% of days
Rome in FebruaryFebruary was Rome's month of purification and of the dead.
Columella
Windy weather. (De Re Rust. 11.2)
Fields & crops
The west wind (Favonius) brought the first signs of spring around 7 February per Columella 11.2: vines were pruned, trees grafted, and meadows cleared and manured.
Courts & law
February was when the Senate traditionally heard foreign embassies late Republic, per the lex Gabinia and Cicero's letters. Ordinary law courts kept sitting except on festival days.
Senate & politics
As the last month of the old year, February was used for the intercalary month when the pre-Julian calendar needed correcting, inserted after the Terminalia (23 Feb.), a source of political manipulation pre-Julian.
Military
Still the closed season; armies prepared for spring, recruits trained, and supplies were gathered at frontier bases.
Festivals & religion
The month's name comes from februa, means of purification. The Lupercalia (15 Feb.), the Parentalia for the family dead (13–21 Feb.) ending with the Feralia, the Caristia family reunion (22 Feb.) and the Terminalia for boundary stones (23 Feb.) filled it per Ovid, Fasti 2.
Daily life
February was Rome's month of purification and of the dead. During the Parentalia (13–21 February) families brought simple offerings—wreaths, grain, salt, bread soaked in wine, violets—to their ancestors' tombs per Ovid, Fasti 2.533–42. Death was close: perhaps a quarter or more of infants died in their first year, and tombstones for young children are common modern demographic estimate; disputed in detail.
On farms Columella says the west wind (Favonius) starts about 7 February, signalling pruning, grafting and the first spring work per Columella 11.2. The Lupercalia (15 February) saw young men run through the streets striking women with goatskin strips, believed to help fertility and childbirth per Ovid and Plutarch.
Sources: Ovid, Fasti 2 · Columella 11.2
All days in February →
LATIN LINE OF THE DAY
Quod sis esse velis nihilque malis.
“Wish to be what you are, and prefer nothing else.”
Martial, Epigrams 10.47 · translation ours (literal)
