Picture this: it's mid-February, and the Romans are feeling frisky. They gather together, dressed in animal skins, ready to partake in some truly bizarre rituals. The festivities kick off with a bunch of priests running around the city, whipping people with strips of goatskin. No, seriously. It was believed that this act of flagellation would purify the city and promote fertility. Ah, nothing says "I love you" like a good old-fashioned whipping, right?