But what about private birthday celebrations? Were they very different from today? In some ways yes, and in other ways not so much. (Albius Tibullus, 4.5.9-12) It really was an interesting commingling of religion and celebration. But if by any chance he now sighs over another love, then, holy one, desert the faithless altar, I pray. Good Genius, take the incense willingly, and willingly grant his prayers, so long as he burns when he thinks of me. Individuals, and their celebrants, commemorated the anniversary of the religious cult or genius with which their birthday was associated. (Martial, Epigrams 10.87.1-4) Unlike today, it seems that religion and birthdays were inevitably linked in the world of ancient Rome. We are performing birthday rites let litigation cease. Relief of Emperor Hadrian being greeted by the Goddess Roma and Genii of the Senate Come, let pious Rome mark the birthday of eloquent Restitutus: Let every tongue be reverent let all prayers be favourable. Some examples of major public birthdays included the Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, the birthday of the Unconquerable Sun, around December the 25th, and the Dies Natalis Urbis Romae, the birthday of the founding of the city of Rome, on April the 21st, an event which is still celebrated today as the Natale di Roma with a parade, games and other events. to be honoured, it was common to have one’s private birthday on the same days as those public birthdays. We will talk about private birthdays shortly, but it is important to note that because Roman religion had so many deities, genii and numina (spirits) etc. (Cicero, Letter LXXXIX (a iv,1) To Atticus) The above quote from Cicero’s letter to his friend, Atticus, is said to be one of the earliest known mentions of the natales of cities and temples, in this case the celebration of the Roman temple of Salus, the Goddess of Safety and Welfare, and the city of Brundisium, both of which are celebrated on the exact same day as his own daughter’s birthday. This coincidence was noticed and celebrated with warm congratulations by the citizens of Brundisium. There my dear Tulliola met me on what was her own birthday, which happened also to be the name-day of the colony of Brundisium and of the temple of Salus, near your house. I arrived at Brundisium on the 5th of August. On the 4th of August I started from Dyrrachium, the very day on which the law about me was carried. For the present, though I believe everything finds its way to you in the letters of your friends, or even by messengers and rumour, yet I will write briefly what I think you would like to learn from my letters above all others.

There were also celebrations of the birthdays of cities. Public birthdays were celebrations in honour of particular gods or the founding of temples or cults dedicated to those gods. The Roman Forum (by Becchetti) In ancient Rome there were, in fact, two types of birthday celebrations: public and private.

Curiota liquor