Note 1172 — Women’s Sacrifice to the Bona Dea.

Hartmann, Der Röm. Kalender, p. 203 foll., thinks it was originally one of the feriae conceptivae, like the Compitalia, Paganalia, &c., and only became fixed (stativae) when it was reorganized in 217 B.C. But if so, why is it marked in the calendars in large letters? And Hartmann himself points out (p. 208) that Dec. 17 is the first day of Capricornus, i. e. the coldest season, which in the oldest natural reckoning would be likely to fix the day (Colum. 11. 2. 94).