PAGANALIA, certain festivals observed by the un-
cient Romans in the month of January. They were in-
stituted by Servius Tullius, who appointed a certain
number of villages (Pagi), in each of which an altar
was to be raised for annual sacrifices to their tutelary
gods; at which all the inhabitants were to assist, and
give presents in money, according to their sex and age,
by which means the number of country-people was
known. The servants upon this occasion offered cakes
to Ceres and Tellus, to obtain plentiful harvests.