Dictionary of Greek and Roman antiquities. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

716 LUDI PLEBIEII. LUDI SAECULARES.
50, xxxix. 46; Plin. H.L NT. xxxv. 7.) It was Pseudo-Asconius (ad Verr. i. p. 143, Orelli), tile
thought disgraceful for wonlen to be present at gnames which had been instituted in commemoration
these games, and Publius Sempronius separated of the freedom of the plebeians after the banishhimself from his wife because she had been present ment of the kings, or after the secession of the
without his knowledge at ludi fiunebres. (Plut. plebes to the Aventine. The first of these acQuaest. Roem. p. 267, B; Val. Max. vi. 3. ~ 12; counts is not borne out by the history of the ple.
compare Suet. Aug. 44.) These htdi, though on beian order, and it is more probable that these
some occasions the whole people took part in them, games were instituted in commemoration of the
were not ludi publici, properly speaking, as they reconciliation between the patricians and plebeians
were given by private individuals in honour of after the first secession to the mons sacer, or, actheir relations or friends. Compare FUNUS, p. cording to others, to the Aventine. They were
562. [L. S.] heid on the 16th, 17th, and 18th of November,
LUDI IIONORA'RII are expressly mentioned and were conducted by the plebeian aediles. (Liv.
only by Suetoniis (Azlg. 32), who states that xxviii. 10, xxxix. 7.) It is sufficiently clear from
Augiustus devoted thirty days, which had been the ancient calendaria that the ludi plebeii were
occupied till that time by ludi honorarii, to the not, as some have supposed, the same as, or a part
transaction of legal business. What is meant by of, the ludi Romaini. [L. S.]
ludi honorarii, is not quite certain. According to LUDI PONTIFICA'LES were probably noFestus (s. v. Honorarios ludos) they avere the same thing but a particular kind of the ludi honorarii
as the Liberalia. Scaliger, however, in his note mentioned above. They were for the first time
on Suetonius, has made it appear very probable given by Augustus, when, after the death of Lepithat they were the same as those which Tertullian dus, he obtained the office of pontifex maximus.
(De Spect. c. 21) says were given for the purpose (Sueton. Aug. 44.) [L. S.]
of gaining honours and popularity, in contradis- LUDI QUAESTO'RII were of the same chatinction to other ludi which wvere intended either racter as the preceding games. They were instias an honour to the gods, or as doea for the dead. tuted by the emperor Claudius (Suet. ClLaud. 24;
At the time of Augusstus this kind of ludi which Tacit. Ainn. ii. 22), who decreed that all who obTacitus (Agqric. 6) seelms to designate by the name trained the office of quaestor should, at their owen
inania honoris, were so common that no one ob- expense, give gladiatorial exhibitions. Nero did
tained any public office without lavishing a con- away with this obligation for newly appointed
siderable portion of his property on the exhibition quaestors (Tacit. Ann. xiii. 5), but it was revived
of games. Augustus therefore wisely assigned by Domitian. (Sueton. Do)zit. c. 4.) [L. S.]
thirty of the days of the year, on which such LUDI ROMANT or MAGNI. [MEGALESIA.]
spectacles had been exhibited previously, to the LUDI SAECULA'1RES. If we were to judge
transaction of business, i. e. he made these 30 days from their name, these games would have been.
fasti. (Compare Ernesti and F. A. Wolf, ad celebrated once in every century or saeculum; but
Sueton. 1. c.) [L. S.] we do not find that they were celebrated with this
LUDI JUVENA'LES. [JUVENAL ES.] regularity at any period of Roman history, and the
LUTDI LIBERA'LES. [DIoNzsIAt, p. 414.] nanme ludi saeculares itself was never used during
LUDI MARTIA'LES were celebrated every the time of the republic. In order to understand
year on the first of August, in the Circus, and in their real character we must distinguish between the
honour of Mars, because the temple of Mars had time of the republic and of the empire, since at
been dedicated on this day. (Dion Cass. Ix. 5; these two periods these ludi were of an entirely
Sueton. Clusd. 4.) The ancient calendaria men- different character.
tion also other ludi martiales which were held in During the time of the republic they were called
the Circus on the 12th of May. [L. S.] lzads Tarenltini, Terentini, or Taurii, while during
LUDI MEGALENSES. [MEGCALESIA.] the empire they bore the name of ladi saeculares.
LUDI NATALI'TII are the ganmes with whick (Fest. s. v. Saecul. ludi and Tatrsii ladi; Val. Max.
the birth-day of anl emperor was generally cele- ii. 4. ~ 5.) Their origin is described by Valerius
brated. They were held in the Circus, whence Maximus, who attributes their institution to the
they are sometimes called circenses. (Capitol. Azn- miraculous recovery of three children of one Valetonin. Pius, 5; Spartian. iHaldran, 7.) They con- rius, vho had been attacked by a plague raging at the
sistedi generally of fights of gladiators and wild time in Rome, and were restored to health by drinkbeasts. On one occasion of this kind Hadriano ing some wvater warmed at a place in the Campus
exhibited gladiatorial combats for six days, and one Martius, called Tarentum. Valerius aftervwards
thousand wild beasts. [L. S.] offered sacrifices in the Tarentum to Dis and ProLUDI PALATI'NI were instituted by Livi;e serpina, to whom the recovery of his children was
in honour of Augustus, and were held onI the Paln- supposed to be owing, spread lectisternia. for the
tine. (Dion Cass. lvi. sub.fin.) According to Dion gods, and held festive games for three successive
Cassius they were celebrated during three days, nights, because his three children had been saved.
but according to Josephus (Antiq. Jud. xix. 1) they The account of Valerius Maximus agrees in the
lasted eioht days, and commenced on the 27th of masin with those of Censorinus (De Die Nat. c. 17)
December. (See Suet. Calig. 56, with Scaliger's and of Zosimus (ii. 3), and all appear to have derived
note.) [L. S.] their information from the ancient annalist, VaileLUDI.PISCATO'RII were held every year on rius Antias. While according to this account the
the sixth of June, in the plain on the right bank Tarentine games were first celebrated by Valerius,
of the Tiber, and were conducted by the praetor another legend seems to consider the fight of the
urbanus on behalf of the fishermen of the Tiber, Horatians and Curiatians as connected with their
who made the day a holiday. (Ovid. Fast. vi. 235, first celebration. A third account (Festus, s. v.
&c.; Fest. s. v. Piscat. ludi.) rL. S.] Tslurii ladii; Serv. ad Aen. ii. 140) ascribes their
LUDI PLEBE/II were, according to the first institution to the reign of Tarquinius Superbus.