Natale di Roma

Founding of Rome

Natale di Roma is a special festival held every year in Rome on April 21. It celebrates the legendary founding of the city.

According to legend, Romulus is said to have started Rome on that day in 753 BC.

Ancient Roman Dating

The Romans had a special way to count years, called Ab urbe condita, meaning 'from the founding of the City'. They started counting from the day Rome was thought to be founded.

But the main way Romans knew the year was by the names of the two consuls who led that year.

Celebrations of the festival in the age of Rome

The celebration of Rome's birthday was very important for emperors. It showed the city's history and their own power. Emperor Claudius first celebrated Rome's birthday in 47. This was 800 years after the city was thought to be founded. Later, Antoninus Pius celebrated in 147–148. Philip the Arab celebrated when Rome turned one thousand years old in 248. He also held special games called the Ludi Saeculares. Some coins from that time still exist today.

As the Roman Empire turned to the Christian faith, the date of April 21 became linked to the feast day of Saint Caesarius of Terracina. This helped emperors connect their rule to Rome's history and Christian traditions.

The festival after the fall of the Western Roman Empire

After Christianity spread and the Western Roman Empire fell, many old Roman customs and festivals stopped. But during the Renaissance, a group of scholars called the Roman Academy started celebrating the birthday of Rome again on April 21. They honored ancient traditions and held special ceremonies.

Later, during a time called the Risorgimento, when Italy was working toward unity, people began celebrating Natale di Roma again. In 1849, when Rome was a free republic, revolutionaries held meals and speeches to honor Rome's founding and their fight for freedom.

In 1921, the leader of the Fascist movement, Benito Mussolini, made Natale di Roma an official holiday. It became a national holiday starting in 1924, called "Natale di Roma - Labor Day." After World War II, the holiday changed back, and Labor Day returned to May 1.

Today, Italy celebrates Natale di Roma with conferences and historical reenactments. Groups like the "Gruppo Storico Romano" organize parades with people dressed in ancient clothes and show scenes from old Roman life. In 2024, the 2777th Natale di Roma was celebrated with special events and plans to support these traditions. People from all over Europe also join to honor this important date.