in Roman antiquity, a college of 15 magistrates, whose business it was to preside over Quintus genius

Quintus over the sacrifices. They were also the interpreters of the Sybil's books; which, however, they never consulted but by an express order of the senate.

QUINTUAGENARIUS, in Roman antiquity, an officer who had the command of 50 men.

QUINTAGESIMA SUNDAY, Shrove Sunday, so called as being about the 50th day before Easter.

QUINTUATRIA, or QUINQUATRUS, was a festival kept at Rome in honour of Minerva, which began on the 18th of March, or, as others will have it, on the 19th, and lasted five days. On the first day they offered sacrifices and oblations without the effusion of blood; the second, third, and fourth, were spent in shows of gladiators; and on the fifth day they went in procession through the city. Scholars had a vacation during the solemnity, and presented their masters at this time with a gift or fee, called Minerval. Boys and girls used now to pray to the goddess Minerva for wisdom and learning, of which she had the patronage. Plays were acted, and disputations held, at this feast, on subjects of polite literature. The quinquatria were so called, because they lasted for five days. There seems to be a strong resemblance between this festival and the panathenaea of the Greeks.