POPLIFUGIA. — Feast of 5 July in the oldest Roman calendar, the only one that preceded the Nonae of a month.
Separated from the Nonae Caprotinae by the narrowest interval, it seems to form with them a small organic cycle: this also emerges from the etiological legend of the two festivals, according to which the first commemorated the flight of the Romans in the battle against the Fidenates, while the second commemorated their final victory. More importantly, the Nonae Caprotinae are a festival of Juno, whereas the P. are defined as feriae Iovi. Another etiological legend connects the festival with the disappearance of Romulus. Nothing is known about the rites of the festival: the name itself alone would suggest a ritual flight.
BIBL.: W. Warde Fowler, Roman festivals, London 1899, p. 174 ff.; G. Wissowa, Religion und Kultus der Römer, 2nd ed., Munich 1912, p. 116; C. Koch, Der römische Jupiter, Frankfurt am Main 1937, p. 92 ff. Angelo Brelich