LAURENTALIA, or LARENTALIA, called also Laurentinalia, Laurentales, and Larentales, feasts celebrated amongst the Romans on the tenth of the kalends of January, or twenty-third of December, in memory of Acca Laurentia, wife of the shepherd Faustulus, and nurse of Romulus and Remus. Acca Laurentia, from whom the solemnity took its name, is represented as no less remarkable for the beauty of her person than her lasciviousness, on account of which she was nick-named by her neighbours lupa, or she-wolf, which is said to have given rise to the tradition of Romulus and Remus being suckled by a she-wolf. She afterwards married a very rich man,
who brought her great wealth, which, at her death, she left to the Roman people; in consideration of which they performed these rites in honour of her, though others represent the feast as held in honour of Jupiter Latiaris.