In ancient Roman religion

Religion in ancient Rome

Religion in ancient Rome encompassed the religious beliefs and cult practices regarded by the Romans as indigenous and central to their identity as a people, as well as the various and many cults imported from other peoples brought under Roman rule. Romans thus offered cult to innumerable deities...

, the Epulum Jovis (also Epulum Iovis) was a sumptuous ritual feast

Roman festivals

In ancient Roman religion, holidays were celebrated to worship and celebrate a certain god or divine event, and consisted of religious observances and festival traditions, usually with a large feast, and often featuring games . The most important festivals were the Saturnalia, the Consualia, the...

 offered to Jove on the Ides

Ides

Ides may refer to:* Ides , a day in the Roman calendar that marked the approximate middle of the month* Specifically, Ides of March* Ides, a being in Germanic paganism* Saint Ides, an Irish saint...

 of September (September 13) and a smaller feast on the Ides of November (November 13). It was celebrated during 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...

("Roman Games") and the Ludi Plebeii

Ludi Plebeii

The Ludi Plebeii were a religious festival held in ancient Rome in the middle of November, originally from 16–18 November. It consisted of theatrical performances and games....

("Plebeian Games").

The gods were formally invited, and attended in the form of statues. These were arranged on luxurious couches (pulvinaria) placed at the most honorable part of the table. Fine food was served, as if they were able to eat. The priests designated as epulones

Epulones

The epulones formed one of the four great religious corporations of ancient Roman priests. The two most important colleges were the College of Pontiffs and the augurs; the fourth was the quindecimviri sacris faciundis...

, or masters of the feast, organized and carried out the ritual, and acted as "gastronomic proxies" in eating the food.

See also

• Lectisternium
  Lectisternium
  In ancient Roman religion, the lectisternium was a propitiatory ceremony, consisting of a meal offered to gods and goddesses. The word derives from lectum sternere, "to spread a couch." The deities were represented by their busts or statues, or by portable figures of wood, with heads of bronze,...
  
  
• Sellisternium
  Sellisternium
  The sellisternium or solisternium was a ritual banquet for goddesses in the Ancient Roman religion. It differs from other goddess banquets in that the divinities were all seated on chairs, as opposed to reclining on couches, as in the lectisternium...
  
  
• Religion in ancient Rome
  Religion in ancient Rome
  Religion in ancient Rome encompassed the religious beliefs and cult practices regarded by the Romans as indigenous and central to their identity as a people, as well as the various and many cults imported from other peoples brought under Roman rule. Romans thus offered cult to innumerable deities...
  
  
• Glossary of ancient Roman religion
  Glossary of ancient Roman religion
  This glossary of ancient Roman religion provides explanations of Latin concepts pertaining to religious practices and beliefs, with links to articles on major topics such as priesthoods, forms of divination, and rituals...