The Epulum Jovis (Feast of Jove) was a religious ritual and public banquet in ancient Rome dedicated to Jupiter, the king of the gods. It was held annually on the Ides of September (September 13) during the Ludi Romani and on the Ides of November (November 13) during the Ludi Plebeii.
The ceremony was characterized by a lectisternium, a ritual in which statues of the Capitoline Triad—Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva—were placed on ceremonial couches (lecti) as if participating in the meal. Jupiter, occupying the central position, was laid on a couch, while Juno and Minerva were traditionally placed on chairs (sellisternium), reflecting Roman social customs regarding gender and dining postures.
Originally, the feast was managed by the Roman pontiffs. However, in 196 BCE, a specialized college of priests known as the tresviri epulones (later expanded to the septemviri epulonum) was established to oversee the organization of this and other public banquets. The Senate and various magistrates also participated in the event, which served as both a religious obligation and a demonstration of communal and political solidarity. The Epulum Jovis coincided with the anniversary of the dedication of the Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus on the Capitoline Hill.
