Meanings
vicennalia1
plural vicennalias · alternative Vicennalia
- historicalThe festival and religious rituals celebrating a Roman emperor's 20th year of rule.
Apart from the Vicennalia, 136 was an eventful year for the imperial family: the serious illness of Hadrian in the spring, the adoption of Aelius in the summer and the death and consecration of Sabina at the end of the year.
1971, P.V. Hill, "The Dating and Arrangement of Hadrian's COS III", Mints, Dies and Currency, p. 522 more examples
The exact timing of the tenth and twentieth anniversaries, the decennalia and the vicennalia, has already been discussed at length. The most straightforward solution, that it took place on the emperor's dies imperii ten years after the accession, has its adherents. However, a date earlier in the year, perhaps even the day of the beginning of the tenth year, may also be considered—at least in the second century AD.
2005, Jakob Munk Højte, Roman Imperial Statue Bases from Augustus to Commodus, p. 157As a chronological list of Roman emperors makes clear, several rulers reign long enough to enjoy their decennalia, but relatively few were fortunate enough to celebrate their vicennalia, their twentieth imperial anniversary; and from the second century onwards Constantine alone ruled long enough to celebrate a tricennalia.
2012, Gary Forsythe, "Magna Mater and the Taurobolium", Time in Roman Religion, p. 111Synonyms: vicennial, vicennials
Vicennalia2
- pluralplural onlyAlternative letter-case form of vicennalia.
Apart from the Vicennalia, 136 was an eventful year for the imperial family: the serious illness of Hadrian in the spring, the adoption of Aelius in the summer and the death and consecration of Sabina at the end of the year.
1971, P.V. Hill, "The Dating and Arrangement of Hadrian's COS III", Mints, Dies and Currency, p. 52
Synonyms & antonyms
nounThe festival and religious rituals celebrating a Roman emperor's 20th year of rule.
Origin
- Latinvīcennālia
- Englishvicennalia
From Latin vīcennālia, from vīcennium (“20-year period”) + -ālia (“-alia: forming the names of festivals”), from vicennis (“20-year”) + -ium (“forming abstract nouns”), from vīciēs (“twenty each”) + annus (“year”) + -is (“forming compound adjectives”). Equivalent to vicennium + -alia.
More words from Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
French vicennales
- vicennalesTranslations
Italian vicennali
- vicennaliTranslations
Latin vīcennālia
- vīcennāliaTranslations
Cite this entry
vicennalia. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/vicennalia
“vicennalia.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/vicennalia. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “vicennalia,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/vicennalia.
Source: vicennalia on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.