Ludi Apollinares
Encyclopedia
The Ludi Apollinares were solemn games (ludi
) held annually by the ancient Romans
in honor of the god Apollo
. The tradition goes that at the first celebration hereof, they were suddenly invaded by the enemy, and obliged to take to their arms. A cloud of darts and arrows fell upon their enemies, and the Romans soon returned victorious to their sports.
(the defeat of the Romans by Hannibal)
The prophecies dictated that the Romans should use Greek ritual to honor Diana and Latona, and that they should help contribute to the costs of the games, according to their means. The Sibylline Books
were also consulted and confirmed this prophecy. This occurred at the height of the Second Punic War
, when Hannibal was invading northern Italy. As in other times, the games were used to allay the public’s fears and distract them from Hannibal’s invasion.
The games were held in the Circus Maximus
, with equestrian games as well as stage performances, including praetextae
, a category of Roman drama. Ennius (239-169 BC) had Thyestes performed as part of this festival in 169BC. , The ludi Apollinares received less funding from the Roman government than other games/festivals such as the ludi Romani
or ludi plebeii, because it was shorter and had only one day of races.
One version of events proposes that L. Varus, the praetor
urbanus at the time, renewed this vow and celebrated them again in 210 BC. They were made an annual festival by a law in 208 BC by L. Varus, who was then curule aedile. A severe plague in 208 BC may have prompted the Senate to make them permanent, in honor of Apollo, who they regarded as a god of healing. From this day on, they were celebrated on July 13th and eventually grew to last 8 or 9 days. ,
However, Livy
suggests that it was C. Calpurnius Piso, not L. Varus, who made the games permanent as praetor in 211 BC. “The Games of Apollo had been exhibited the previous year, and when the question of their repetition the next year was moved by the praetor Calpurnius, the senate passed a decree that they should be observed for all time.” He continues, “…Such is the origin of the Apollinarian Games, which were instituted for the cause of victory and not, as is generally thought, in the interests of the public health.”
Ludi
Ludi were public games held for the benefit and entertainment of the Roman people . Ludi were held in conjunction with, or sometimes as the major feature of, Roman religious festivals, and were also presented as part of the cult of state.The earliest ludi were horse races in the circus...
) held annually by the ancient Romans
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
in honor of the god Apollo
Apollo
Apollo is one of the most important and complex of the Olympian deities in Greek and Roman mythology...
. The tradition goes that at the first celebration hereof, they were suddenly invaded by the enemy, and obliged to take to their arms. A cloud of darts and arrows fell upon their enemies, and the Romans soon returned victorious to their sports.
First Ludi
The games were established after inspecting a collection of prophecies, the Carmina Marciana. One of several seers (vates) responsible for these predictions was Marcius. The games were organized in accordance with the Oracles of Marcius, which had predicted the disaster at CannaeCannae
Cannae is an ancient village of the Apulia region of south east Italy. It is a frazione of the comune of Barletta.-Geography:It is situated near the river Aufidus , on a hill on the right Cannae (mod. Canne della Battaglia) is an ancient village of the Apulia region of south east Italy. It is a...
(the defeat of the Romans by Hannibal)
The prophecies dictated that the Romans should use Greek ritual to honor Diana and Latona, and that they should help contribute to the costs of the games, according to their means. The Sibylline Books
Sibylline Books
The Sibylline Books or Libri Sibyllini were a collection of oracular utterances, set out in Greek hexameters, purchased from a sibyl by the last king of Rome, Tarquinius Superbus, and consulted at momentous crises through the history of the Republic and the Empire...
were also consulted and confirmed this prophecy. This occurred at the height of the Second Punic War
Second Punic War
The Second Punic War, also referred to as The Hannibalic War and The War Against Hannibal, lasted from 218 to 201 BC and involved combatants in the western and eastern Mediterranean. This was the second major war between Carthage and the Roman Republic, with the participation of the Berbers on...
, when Hannibal was invading northern Italy. As in other times, the games were used to allay the public’s fears and distract them from Hannibal’s invasion.
The games were held in the Circus Maximus
Circus Maximus
The Circus Maximus is an ancient Roman chariot racing stadium and mass entertainment venue located in Rome, Italy. Situated in the valley between the Aventine and Palatine hills, it was the first and largest stadium in ancient Rome and its later Empire...
, with equestrian games as well as stage performances, including praetextae
Praetexta
A Praetexta or Praetexta Fabula was a new genre of Roman tragedy innovated by Gnaeus Naevius, which dealt with the themes of historical Roman figures, instead of the conventional Greek myths. Subsequent writers of praetextae included Ennius, Pacuvius and Lucius Accius. The name refers to the toga...
, a category of Roman drama. Ennius (239-169 BC) had Thyestes performed as part of this festival in 169BC. , The ludi Apollinares received less funding from the Roman government than other games/festivals such as the ludi Romani
Ludi Romani
The Ludi Romani were a religious festival in ancient Rome. They were held annually starting in 366 BC from September 12 to September 14, later extended to September 5 to September 19. In the last 1st century BC, an extra day was added in honor of the deified Julius Caesar on 4 September...
or ludi plebeii, because it was shorter and had only one day of races.
Timing
The Ludi Apollinares were games which were first organized in 212 BC, when C. Sulla was Praetor. Initially a vow was made to hold them only once. There is some discussion as to who officially made them annual games.One version of events proposes that L. Varus, the praetor
Praetor
Praetor was a title granted by the government of Ancient Rome to men acting in one of two official capacities: the commander of an army, usually in the field, or the named commander before mustering the army; and an elected magistratus assigned varied duties...
urbanus at the time, renewed this vow and celebrated them again in 210 BC. They were made an annual festival by a law in 208 BC by L. Varus, who was then curule aedile. A severe plague in 208 BC may have prompted the Senate to make them permanent, in honor of Apollo, who they regarded as a god of healing. From this day on, they were celebrated on July 13th and eventually grew to last 8 or 9 days. ,
However, Livy
Livy
Titus Livius — known as Livy in English — was a Roman historian who wrote a monumental history of Rome and the Roman people. Ab Urbe Condita Libri, "Chapters from the Foundation of the City," covering the period from the earliest legends of Rome well before the traditional foundation in 753 BC...
suggests that it was C. Calpurnius Piso, not L. Varus, who made the games permanent as praetor in 211 BC. “The Games of Apollo had been exhibited the previous year, and when the question of their repetition the next year was moved by the praetor Calpurnius, the senate passed a decree that they should be observed for all time.” He continues, “…Such is the origin of the Apollinarian Games, which were instituted for the cause of victory and not, as is generally thought, in the interests of the public health.”