or FLORAL GAMES, in antiquity, were games held in honour of Flora, the goddess of flowers.—They were celebrated with shameful debaucheries. The most licentious dissolutures were not enough, but the courtezans were called together by the sound of a trumpet, made their appearance naked, and entertained the people with indecent shows and postures: the comedians appeared after the same manner on the stage. Val. Maximus relates, that Cato being once present in the theatre on this occasion, the people were ashamed to ask for such immodest representations in his presence; till Cato, apprised of the reservedness and respect with which he inspired them, withdrew, that the people might not be disappointed of their accustomed diversion. There were several other sorts of shows exhibited on this occasion; and, if we may believe Suetonius in Galba, c. 6. and Vopiscus in Carinus, these princes presented elephants dancing on ropes on these occasions.

The ludi florales, according to Pliny, lib. xviii. c. 29, were instituted by order of an oracle of the Sibyls, on the 28th of April; not in the year of Rome 1396, as we commonly read it in the ancient editions of that author; nor in 1394, as F. Hardouin has corrected it, but, as Vossius reads it, in 513: though they were not regularly held every year till after 580. They were chiefly held in the night time, in the Patrician street: some will have it there was a circus for the purpose on the hill called Hortulorum.