ARMILUSTRIUM, in Antiquity, a Feast held among the Romans; wherein they sacrificed, armed at all Points, and with the Sound of Trumpets. See FEAST. Some define Armilustrium to have been a Feast, wherein a general Review was made of all the Forces in the Campus Martius.—But this does not come up to the Point; for Varro does not derive the Word from the Latin Arma and lustrare, to make a Review; but from the Custom of holding this Feast in the Place where the Reviews were used to be made, or rather from their going round the Place armed with Bucklers. And he prefers this last Opinion, being persuaded that it was from this Ceremony, that the Place where this Sacrifice was offered to the Gods, was called Armilustrium, or Armilustrum, ab luendo aut lustra, i.e. quod circumibant ludentes, ancilibus armati. This Sacrifice was intended as an ἐξιλάσματα, an Expiation of Arms, for the Prosperity of the Arms of the People of Rome; and was celebrated on the 14th of the Calends of November.
