VULCĀNĀLĬA, a festival celebrated at Rome in honour of Vulcan, on the
23rd of August, with games in the circus Flaminius, where the god had
a temple. The sacrifice on this occasion consisted of fishes, which
the people threw into the fire. It was also customary on this day to
commence working by candle-light, which was probably considered as an
auspicious beginning of the use of fire, as the day was sacred to the
god of this element.