Quinquatria

On March 19, the Roman festival of Quinquatria or Quinquatrus began, initially dedicated to Mars. Over time, when Minerva began to patronize craftsmen and craft attributes received their sacred place on the Aventine, Quinquatrus changed their character and became a celebration of craftsmen and young people learning (it consisted minerval for their teachers, tuition fee).

According to Marcus Terentius Varro, the festival was named so because it took place on the fifth (quinqu-) day at Idach. On the first day of Quinquatrus, Minerva was sacrificed, and during the wars on that day the fighting was interrupted. In the following days gladiator games were held, and on the last day, in the shoemakers’ hall (atrium sutorium), the blessing of trumpets was held, the so-called tubilustrium (the trumpet was an instrument of the goddess).