Terminus, the deity associated with boundaries, presided over the Terminalia festival, observed on February 23. This celebration signified the final religious observance prior to the Roman New Year commencing on March 1, thus marking the conclusion of the religious year. The Roman poet Ovid narrates the legends and rituals surrounding Terminus within the second book of Fasti, his exploration of the Roman religious calendar:
February 23. With the night behind us, let us honor the god who delineates fields with traditional tributes. Terminus – whether you manifest as a stone or a buried stump in the soil – have inherently held divine authority since ancient times. You receive recognition by two landowners who stand on either side, presenting you with two garlands and two libations. An altar is prepared for you: here, a rural woman carries the sacred flame, kindled from her own hearth using a broken pot. An elderly man chops wood, skillfully stacking it, while laboriously embedding branches into the hard soil; she ignites the initial flames with dry bark, and a boy stands by with a large basket.
When the boy has cast handfuls of grain into the fire three times, a young girl then presents honeycombs for the offering. Others gather jars of wine, and they each pour their contents onto the flames in turn, while the assembled crowd, clad in white, watches in reverential silence. The communal Terminus is doused with the blood of a sacrificed lamb, while a suckling pig is graciously offered in his honor. Local villagers unite to share a feast, exalting your name, sacred Terminus. You demarcate the edges of nations, cities, and vast empires – without you, the countryside would be rife with conflicts. You don’t roam seeking to sway opinions, nor are you influenced by wealth; instead, with lawful integrity, you uphold the lands entrusted to you. Had you marked the territory of Thyrea, those three hundred bodies need not have fallen, their sole survivor’s name, Orthryades, inscribed amidst piled weapons…
Do you recall the construction of the new Capitol? Indeed, all the gods withdrew to make way for Jove. Yet, as ancient tales recount, Terminus remained steadfast, occupying his place within the building, sharing the temple space with mighty Jove.
Now, to ensure you behold only the stars above, a small aperture has been crafted in the roof of the temple. Ever since, Terminus, you are bound to your spot, unable to move, permitted to remain firm before any neighboring claim. You must never prioritize any mortal over Jove, and when struck by plows or rakes, firmly assert: ‘This is your field; this is his!’
A road leads towards the Laurentian fields, once established by the Dardanian hero Aeneas. Along this route, the sixth boundary stone from the city is sanctified in your name, Terminus, adorned with the innards of a woolly sheep.
While other cultures observe static boundaries, the delineation of Rome encompasses the entirety of the world.
Ovid, Fasti 2, 639–84
