There are several legends surrounding the life of Saint Valentine. In Plutarch’s Life of Julius Caesar, Caesar famously refuses a golden crown presented to him by Mark Antony during the feast of Lupercalia. They then ran naked or nearly-naked around Palantine whipping any woman within striking distance with the thongs. When the feast of Lupercal was over, the Luperci cut strips, also called thongs or februa, of goat hide from the newly-sacrificed goats. In Ancient Rome, feasting began after the ritual sacrifice. The blood was then removed with a piece of milk-soaked wool as the Luperci laughed. Afterwards, the foreheads of two naked Luperci were smeared with the animals’ blood using the bloody, sacrificial knife. The sacrifices were performed by Luperci, a group of Roman priests. The festival began at Lupercal cave with the sacrifice of one or more male goats-a representation of sexuality-and a dog.
Lupercalia rituals took place in a few places: Lupercal cave, on Palatine Hill and within the Roman open-air, public meeting place called the Comitium. It’s thought Lupercalia took place to honor the she-wolf and please the Roman fertility god Lupercus. After killing the uncle who’d ordered their death, they found the cave den of the she-wolf who’d nurtured them and named it Lupercal. The twins were later adopted by a shepherd and his wife and learned their father’s trade.
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