<P> The high priest of Mars in Roman public religion was the Flamen Martialis, who was one of the three major priests in the fifteen - member college of flamens . Mars was also served by the Salii, a twelve - member priesthood of patrician youths who dressed as archaic warriors and danced in procession around the city in March . Both priesthoods extend to the earliest periods of Roman history, and patrician birth was required . </P> <P> The festivals of Mars cluster in his namesake month of March (Latin: Martius), with a few observances in October, the beginning and end of the season for military campaigning and agriculture . Festivals with horse racing took place in the Campus Martius . Some festivals in March retained characteristics of new year festivals, since Martius was originally the first month of the Roman calendar . </P> <Ul> <Li> February 27: Equirria, involving chariot or horse races; </Li> <Li> March 1: Mars' dies natalis ("birthday"), a feria also sacred to his mother Juno; </Li> <Li> March 14: a second Equirria, again with chariot races; </Li> <Li> March 14 or 15: Mamuralia, a new year festival when a figure called Mamurius Veturius (perhaps the "old Mars" of the old year) is driven out; </Li> <Li> March 17: an Agonalia or Agonium Martiale, an obscure type of observance held at other times for various deities; </Li> <Li> March 23: Tubilustrium, a purification of the deploying army March 23; </Li> <Li> October 15: the ritual of the October Horse, with a chariot race and Rome's only known horse sacrifice; </Li> <Li> October 19: Armilustrium ("purification of arms"). </Li> </Ul> <Li> February 27: Equirria, involving chariot or horse races; </Li>

When is the day honoring the roman god of war