a.d. III Non. Aug.
August 3 in Ancient Rome
Tiberius wins in Illyricum
militaryAD 8
Julian date · ≈ Aug 1 on our calendar
Tiberius won a victory in the great Pannonian–Dalmatian revolt, a day later kept as a holiday in Italian calendars.
Background
The revolt of Pannonia and Dalmatia (AD 6–9) was, according to Suetonius, the most serious foreign war since the wars with Carthage. Tiberius commanded the Roman response for three hard years.
The calendar from Antium marks 3 August AD 8 as the day Tiberius "was victorious in Illyricum", probably the surrender of the Pannonian rebels described by Dio.
Ancient source: Fasti Antiates ministrorum (III Non. Aug.) · Reference
Sources
☁ Rome today (1991–2020 avg): 32°/20°C (90°/68°F) · rain 10% of days
Rome in AugustThe hottest weeks raised the risk of fire in the dense city, especially in…
Fields & crops
Columella marks autumn beginning around 12 August; straw and stubble were gathered, figs and early fruit picked, and vineyards readied for the vintage per Columella 11.2.
Courts & law
A quieter legal month; many elite Romans were in the countryside. Under the empire, the imperial household's slaves and freedmen kept administration running.
Senate & politics
Renamed from Sextilis in 8 BC for Augustus, who had won his greatest successes in this month, including the capture of Alexandria in 30 BC per Macrobius 1.12.35.
Military
Armies stayed in the field; disease in hot camps was often as dangerous as battle modern view based on ancient accounts.
Festivals & religion
Portunalia (17 Aug.), Vinalia Rustica (19 Aug.), Consualia (21 Aug.), Vulcanalia (23 Aug.), when small fish were offered to Vulcan to ward off fire, and Opiconsivia (25 Aug.) per Varro and Festus. On the Ides, Diana's day, enslaved people had a holiday per Festus and Plutarch.
Daily life
The hottest weeks raised the risk of fire in the dense city, especially in timber-framed insulae; Augustus set up the vigiles, a fire brigade of freedmen, in AD 6 per Suetonius and Dio. Fevers peaked in late summer and early autumn; the sick poor relied on home remedies and shrines more than on doctors modern view.
Sources: Macrobius, Saturnalia 1.12 · Columella 11.2
All days in August →
LATIN LINE OF THE DAY
Ille sapit quisquis, Postume, vixit heri.
“The wise man, Postumus, is whoever lived yesterday.”
Martial, Epigrams 5.58 · translation ours (literal)
