Definition

Noun: - The centennial rites and games of ancient Rome: A major religious festival and series of public games held in ancient Rome approximately every 110 years to mark the end of one era (saeculum) and the beginning of a new generation. The observances included sacrifices, theatrical performances, and athletic contests dedicated to the underworld deities Dis Pater and Proserpina.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The Emperor Augustus revived and celebrated the secular games in 17 BC.
  • Inscriptions detail the elaborate rituals performed during the secular games.
  • The celebration of the secular games symbolized the renewal of the Roman state.

Advanced Usage

• "to celebrate/hold the secular games": To conduct the festival.
  • Claudius held the secular games in AD 47, deviating from the traditional cycle.

Variants and Related Words

• Saeculum (n): The Latin term for a generation or age, typically calculated as 110 years, which the games commemorated.
• Ludi Saeculares (n): The Latin name for the Secular Games.

Synonyms

• Centennial Games: Emphasizes the approximate hundred-year interval.
• Ludi Saeculares: The direct Latin equivalent.

Notes on Meaning

This term refers specifically to the historical Roman festival. It is a proper noun and is always used in the plural form "games." It should not be confused with modern, non-religious games or sports; "secular" here relates to the Latin saeculum (age, generation) rather than its modern meaning of "non-religious."

Noun

1. the centennial rites and games of ancient Rome that marked the commencement of a new generation (100 years representing the longest life in a generation); observances may have begun as early as the 5th century BC and lasted well into the Christian era