FERIÆ, in Roman antiquity, holidays, or days upon which they abstained from work. Proclamation was generally made by the herald, by command of the Rex Sacrorum or Flamines, that all should abstain from business; and whoever transgressed the order was severely fined.—The feriæ were of two kinds, public and private.
The public feriæ were fourfold. 1. Stativæ, which were kept as public feasts by the whole city upon certain immovable days appointed by their calendar;—such were the Compitalia, Carmentalia, Lupercalia, &c. 2. Feriæ Conceptivæ, which were moveable feasts, the days for the celebration of which were fixed by the magistrates or priests; of this sort were the Feriæ Latineæ, Paganalia, Compitalia, &c. which happened every year, but the days for keeping them were left to the discretion of the magistrates or priests. 3. Feriæ Imperativeæ, which were fixed and instituted by the mere command of consuls, prætors, dictators, upon the gaining of some victory or other fortunate event. 4. Nundinæ. See the articles NUNDINÆ, AGONALIA, CARMENTALIA, &c.
The private feriæ were holidays observed by particular persons or families on several accounts, as birth-days, funerals, &c. The feriæ belonged to, and were one division of the dies festi. See FESTI.