August 12
Festival of Hercules Invictus
On this day in ancient Rome, sacrifice was made to Hercules Invictus at the Ara Maxima, the great altar near the Circus Maximus. The myth surrounding Hercules is far older than Rome itself, having been introduced after Hercules had slain the villain Cacus, who was ransacking Evander’s kingdom on the banks of the Tiber. A man’s God, Hercules was known for his appetites and was even more popular because he had actually been a man at one time. The merchants and generals of Rome paid for the feast that followed the festival, and, in contrast to other similar rites, the entire offering was consumed, and there were no restrictions placed on the types of food that could be served
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