certain festivals observed by the ancient Romans in the month of January. They were instituted 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 tutelar 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.