Happy Lupercalia! The origins of the ancient pastoral festival are shadowy even to Romans but on this day we observe ancient rites of fertility, health and purification. The goatskin whips or "februa" used in today's fertility rituals lend the second month its name... #LiveIdes

Lupercalia also has origins in "lupus" (wolf) and Rome's founding myth of the she-wolf that suckled Romulus and Remus in the sacred Lupercal cave on the Palatine. Later this morning sacrifices will be made by the Luperci priests at the entrance to the cave... #LiveIdes

Caesar has appeared this morning to cheers from the assembling crowds! He will inaugurate the day's festivities with a sacrifice of a sacred bull. As Pontifex Maximus, chief priest of the Roman state, Caesar leads the necessary prayers, flanked by his many attendants... #LiveIdes

Once the victimarius has stunned the bull, the cultrarius slits its throat with a sacrificial knife. The Etruscan haruspex Spurinna, an expert in divination, will now closely inspect the organs of the bull, reading omens of the future... #LiveIdes

Whispers and confusion at the sacrificial altar. After much searching, a perplexed Spurinna announces to the crowd that the bull has no heart. Gasps from the crowd. Caesar, visibly agitated, asks Spurinna to look again but it seems the organ cannot be found... #LiveIdes

Spurinna is clearly disturbed by this bull with no heart. Cries from the crowd: how could this beast have lived without a heart? What does this portent mean? After a whispered conversation with his diviner, Caesar announces the sacrifice will be re-attempted tomorrow. #Liveides

Caesar has laughed off the failed sacrifice and dismissed the concerned cries from the audience. He assures everyone that tomorrow’s sacrifice will surely offer clearer and more favourable omens. #LiveIdes

After an inauspicious start, the Lupercalia celebrations will next move up to the entrance of the Lupercal cave on the southwest slope of the Palatine hill, where consul Mark Antony will lead the rites of the Luperci priesthood. #LiveIdes

The consul Mark Antony now leads the three collegia of the Luperci priesthood or "brotherhood of the wolf" in sacrifices at the Lupercal cave. This raucous gathering of Rome's young wild men, all naked except for partial animal skins, makes for quite a sight. #LiveIdes

At the mouth of the Lupercal cave, Antony leads the sacrifice of a dog for purity, followed by the sacrifice of male goats for fertility. #LiveIdes

At the culmination of the sacrifices, the Luperci are offered salted cakes by a group of Vestal Virgins. The "wolf men" then skin the goats and rowdily smear the blood of the animals on their faces, in preparation for the famed run of the Luperci through the city... #LiveIdes

And they're off! After fashioning whips from the goat hides, the Luperci start their run around the Palatine Hill. Along their route they flog the young female spectators to bestow fertility. Many women are coming forward voluntarily to be lashed by the running men!... #LiveIdes

In the guise of Rome's earliest shepherds the noble youths of the city are running wildly around the Palatine's sacred boundaries. It's certainly more of a fun-run than a race but 40 year-old Mark Antony is taking it very seriously, maintaining a good lead!... #LiveIdes

While the Luperci run is in progress, Julius Caesar has taken up position on the rostra, the speaker's platform in the Roman Forum. Dressed in a purple toga and seated on a throne of gold and ivory, murmers run through the crowd about his worryingly regal appearance... #LiveIdes

The Luperci run concluded, Mark Antony (still blood-smeared and dressed in his animal skins) runs back into the Roman Forum. He joins his fellow consul Caesar on the rostra to the cheers of the assembled crowds.. #LiveIdes
(Image by David Reinhold)

As Antony takes to the rostra the crowd falls silent when they see the glinting item he is carrying: a golden diadem for a king. Antony holds the diadem out to Caesar, offering to crown the dictator this very moment. A wave of gasps and groans ripple through the crowd. #LiveIdes

With exaggerated gestures, Caesar recoils and pushes the crown away. A few cheers ring out but most groan as they see the spectacle for what it is, a performance more suited to the theatre stage. Like a pantomime actor, Antony offers the crown a second time... #LiveIdes

Again Caesar pushes away the diadem, to even less applause this time. Seeming disappointed at the crowd's subdued reaction, Caesar gets to his feet and grandly orders that the crown be instead taken to the Capitol and rightly offered to Jupiter. #LiveIdes

To general applause, a procession of people and magistrates take the diadem up the Clivus Capitolinus where it is placed in the temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus. Some chant "Caesar, Caesar!", relieved that the dictator refused the crown... #LiveIdes
(Image by Yadegar Asisi)

A night of feasting, revelry and matchmaking after the rituals of today’s Lupercalia. A strange and memorable day in Rome, gossip inevitably turns to Caesar’s disastrous sacrifice and his refusal of Antony’s crown. #LiveIdes