Ancient Romans celebrated a wild festival called Lupercalia instead of Valentine's Day
Long before modern romance, Ancient Romans observed Lupercalia, a chaotic mid-February festival involving purification rituals and match-making lotteries intended to ward off evil spirits and promote fertility.
Lupercalia was an ancient pastoral festival held annually from February 13 to 15 to purify the city. Roman priests known as Luperci sacrificed goats and dogs, using strips of the hides to playfully strike women, a gesture believed to grant fertility.
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