Lupercalia took place in the ides of February (February 15th) during Roman times. Though in some trick of complex calendaring that I don’t understand it took place several weeks into spring. My amateurish research has led to several images about it’s original purpose. Keep in mind that this is Internet research any story can be propagated into the realm of truth. These could have similarities because they are based on each other (much like the New Testament). I begin with a general synopsis of each image.

According to ‘A brief history of Lupercalia‘ the holiday honors the gods Lupercus and Faunus, as well as the legendary founders of Rome Romulus and Remus. The twin brothers (Romulus & Remus) were sucled by a she-wolf in cave on the Palantine Hill. The Romans called this cave the Lupercal and it was center of the celebration. Priests of Lupercus would sacrifice a dog and goats, smear themselves with blood and run around the hill striking women with a thong. This was supposed to to ensure fertility and an easy childbirth for the women. As part two of Lupercalia the priests would write down all the names of the available women and put them in a box. The young women then pulled names and became paired until the next Lupercalia. I’ll talk more about this later.

An odd page purporting to be doing color commentary of the event suggest some other elements. The page suggests two colleges of priests the Luperci Quinctiales and the Luperci Fabiani. A priest from each sect would make the run. Several causal events are suggested including a spring celebration, to ward off the vengeful dead awakened by the Festival of Parentalia, and Fertility. The god Inuus is also mentioned but details on the relation are lacking. The sacrifices are explained as the the wolf of Rome and the goats of fertility. Though why they use a dog instead of a wolf is unclear. In this version cakes made from the first grain of last season is also offered by vestal virgins. Two male youths, from ranking families, have their foreheads smeared with blood and from the sacrificial knives, and laugh for some reason. In this version both men and women are struck by the whips (thongs).

I’ve seen several references that the early Rome had a serious wolf problem and Lupercalia, still dedicated to Lupercus, was to protect Rome from the wolves. The name exchange still inexplicable took place. My own personal opinion suggests that while the name exchange makes sense in the context of a fertility ritual I can’t imagine in coming forth in the context of an anti-wolf ceremony.

One page on the origins of Valentine’s day support the wolves theory and introduces the the concept the Lupercalia was the god of shepherds and flocks and the ritual was to protect them. This pages suggests that the name exchange while taking place during Lupercalia was actually done in honor of the goddess Juno Februata.

I found one page that has an excerpt from Antiquities of Rome (Kennett, Basil 1776). I suggest giving it a read keeping in mind it was written in the 18th century. The only new information it really adds is associating the priests in question with Pan. By the way Kennet supports the protecting the flock theory, he also notes the practice of lashing men and women (women are especially noted).

The Internet infidels in their February 1999 newsletter attribute the celebration to Juno Februata and was called “festival of orgy and sexual excess.” It differs from from the other stories in that it wasn’t women’s names that went into the box but love notes whose writers had to be identified, and so it turned out to be more of a socialization issue.