Consualia

Consualia

August 21 and December 15

The infamous rape of the Sabine women occurred at the first Consualia in ancient Rome. Consus, originally an agricultural deity but also regarded as the god of good counsel and the guardian of secrets, is said to have advised Romulus, the founder of Rome, to abduct the Sabine women as wives for his supporters.
The sanctuary dedicated to Consus in 272 b.c.e. was located on the Aventine Hill in Rome. Sacrifices were held there during his festival, and there were also horse and chariot races in the Circus Maximus, the large arena that lay between the Palatine and Aventine hills. There were actually two festivals in honor of Consus, one on August 21 and the other on December 15.

SOURCES:
AmerBkDays-2000, p. 555
DictFolkMyth-1984, p. 248
DictRomRel-1996, p. 52
FestRom-1981, p. 177

Holidays, Festivals, and Celebrations of the World Dictionary, Fourth Edition. © 2010 by Omnigraphics, Inc.