The Curia Calabra was a religious station or ''
templum'' used for the ritual observation of the
new moon
In astronomy, the new moon is the first lunar phase, when the Moon and Sun have the same ecliptic longitude. At this phase, the lunar disk is not visible to the naked eye, except when it is silhouetted against the Sun during a solar eclipse.
...
in
ancient Rome. Although its exact location is unclear, it was most likely a roofless enclosure in front of an augural hut ''(
auguraculum)'', on the southwest flank of the ''
Area Capitolina'', the precinct of the
Temple of Capitoline Jupiter.
Servius identifies the Curia Calabra with a ''
Casa Romuli
The ''Casa Romuli'' ("Hut of Romulus"), also known as the ''tugurium Romuli'', was the reputed dwelling place of the legendary founder and first king of Rome, Romulus (traditional dates 771–717 BC). It was situated on the south-western corner o ...
'' ("Hut of
Romulus
Romulus () was the legendary foundation of Rome, founder and King of Rome, first king of Ancient Rome, Rome. Various traditions attribute the establishment of many of Rome's oldest legal, political, religious, and social institutions to Romulus ...
") on the
Capitoline, but
Macrobius
Macrobius Ambrosius Theodosius, usually referred to as Macrobius (fl. AD 400), was a Roman provincial who lived during the early fifth century, during late antiquity, the period of time corresponding to the Later Roman Empire, and when Latin was ...
implies that it was adjacent to the ''Casa''.
The
Roman calendar was originally
lunar. On the
Kalends or first day of each month, the
pontifex minor occupied the Curia Calabra to await the sighting of the new moon. The
Rex Sacrificulus and the pontifex then carried out a ''
res divina In ancient Rome, ''res divinae'', singular ''res divina'' ( Latin for "