Fornacalia
A Roman festival held in February in honour of Fornax, the goddess of ovens. It was said to
have been founded by Numa, and may be described as a thanksgiving for the earliest enjoyment
of the newly-gathered corn. It was held in the Forum by the Curiae, or ancient unions of
kinsmen, under the superintendence of the Curio Maximus, or president of the masters of the
curiae. Corn was baked in ovens in the ancient fashion. All who missed the festival were
called fools (
stulti), as being supposed not to know which was their
curia, and had to make an offering at the socalled Feast of Fools (
stultorum
feriae) on the 17th February, the day of the Quirinalia. See Pliny,
H. N. xviii. 8; Ovid,
Fasti,
ii. 513-532; Varro,
L. L. vi. 13; Festus, s. v.
Stultorum
Feriae.