Floralia

Forms

Flōrālia n pl (genitive Flōrālium); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin Flōrālis (“of Flora”), its neuter plural used as a noun.^[2][3] The adjective is formed from the name of the goddess Flōra with the suffix -ālis,^[3][1] and her name in turn is from Latin flōs (“flower”).^[4][5]

De Vaan notes that Oscan also had the goddess and a feast named after her, so her cult was known more widely among the Italic peoples.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Varro names the festival in his work on farming,^[3][5] among the festivals of Flora.^[3]

Semantic evolution

The Floralia were held on 28 April in honour of Flora and were known for their licentiousness.^[2][3] They included games, the ludi Floralia,^[3] and handouts to the people.^[3] The adjective Flōrālicius described the beast fights held at the festival.^[3] Justin uses the name for a flower festival of the people of Massilia.^[3]

Medieval glossaries explained it as the feast of Flora,^[6] and Köbler records a medieval sense of rogation prayers.^[5]

Timeline

• 116–27 BC – Varro names the Floralia.^[3][5]
• 34–62 AD – Persius mentions the handouts at the Floralia.^[3][5]
• c. 35–95/96 AD – Quintilian speaks of the ludi Floralia.^[3][5]
• 3rd century AD? – Justin uses it of a flower festival of Massilia.^[3][5]

Meanings

Proper noun

1. The Floralia, a festival in honour of the goddess Flora, held on 28 April.^[2][3][1]
2. A flower festival of the people of Massilia.^[3]
3. (Medieval Latin) Rogation prayers.^[5]

Usage notes

The OLD has a separate common noun flōrālia “flower gardens”, formed from flōs and found in Varro.^[2][5][3]

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
4. ^ a b de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
5. ^ a b c d e f g h i Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften