Graffiti - The dates

In an article published in 2018 Christer Bruun has studied dated inscriptions from Ostia and festive days. He notes that three kinds of days were of special importance as dies ferialis or dies festus:
- The Kalendae and Idus of each month.
- Days linked to the cult of gods that were worshipped publicly. Typically a shrine or temple was inaugurated on the official feast day of the god.
- Feast days related to (deceased) Emperors and their family, in particular the birthday and the day of assuming power (dies natalis, dies imperii).

In Ostia a rather large number of dedications coincides with the Kalendae and Idus. Bruun also notes dedications on religious feast days. A few examples. A shrine of Vulcanus, the protective deity of Ostia, was inaugurated on XI KAL SEPT, 22 August, the day before the start of the Volkanalia, while two other dedications are of X KAL SEPT, 23 August, the first day of the feast. Nine more inscriptions are on the feast days Floralia, Liberalia, Quinquatrus and so on. Many inscriptions carry the date of the dies natalis of an Emperor: Titus, Nerva, Hadrian (the Temple of Serapis), Antoninus Pius, Marcus Aurelius, Lucius Verus, Caracalla, Septimius Severus.

Bruun assumes that there must have been local feasts as well. In the sixth century John the Lydian informs us that the Kalendae of May was a special day in Ostia. John discusses the festival Maiumas: "Those serving in the primary magistracies came to the coastal city called Ostia and brought themselves to take their pleasure throwing each other in the waters of the sea" (De Mensibus = On the Months, 4.80; translation M. Hooker). The feast seems to have come from Antioch (Meiggs 1973, 377). On VI KAL FEBR, January 27, fell a festival of Castor and Pollux (Meiggs 1973, 344-345). Bruun suspects that III NONAS AVG, August 3, was a feast of the colony. It is documented three times in inscriptions.

Amongst the graffiti in Ostia some 50 complete dates are found (virtually all without a consular date). The precise Kalendae or Idus is found a few times (IDVS DEC is in a lararium; furthermore IDVS FEB, twice KAL AVG, twice KAL DEC). In view of its context (Sacello del Silvano) VII KAL MAIAS, April 25, is most likely related to the Sarapia or Robigalia. All the other dates occur only once. A quick scan does not suggest a relation with feasts, festivals, or the birthdays of Emperors. We should perhaps also expect the dates to be related to commerce and private life. Further study is required however.