Announcement

You see a sign announcing "Gladiatorial games today! March 19." This sign refers to the munera that were held to celebrate the inauguration of the virtual Colosseum on March 19, the first day of the Roman festival of spring regeneration, the Quinquatrus, celebrated on March 19-23. Although munera were orginally held at funerals and memorial celebrations for prominent Romans, from the time of Augustus they became a regular part of this festival and the Saturnalia, celebrated at the end of December to mark the ending of one year and the beginning of the next.