in Chronology, the eighth month of Romulus's year, as the name implies; but the tenth in the calendar of Numa, Julius Caesar, &c. The senate gave this month the name of Faustinus, in compliment to Faustina, the wife of the Emperor Antoninus; Commodus wished it to be called Invictus; and Domitian named it Domitianus; but in spite of all these attempts it still retains its original name. This month was sacred to Mars, and under his protection.

October Equus, a horse annually sacrificed to Mars in the month of October, either because the horse is a warlike animal, or in order to punish him for the taking of Troy. A race was run with chariots, drawn by two horses, previously to the sacrifices, and he that ran fastest was adjudged to be the victor.