Palma’s La Misericòrdia Cultural Centre will host the 2026 Maremagnum Festival of Classical Culture from 26 to 29 March, an event now firmly established in Mallorca’s cultural calendar that will transform the venue into a true capsule of time devoted to the Greco-Roman world.

2026 Maremagnum Festival of Classical Culture

Presentation of the 11th edition of the Maremagnum Festival of Classical Culture at La Misericòrdia. Photo: Consell de Mallorca.

Organised by the Consell de Mallorca and the Associació Maremagnum Balears, the festival, now in its 11th edition, will offer over four days a full programme of free activities combining outreach, historical re-enactment and reflection. The centre’s Pati d’Homes will be the heart of this initiative, designed to bring classical culture closer to audiences of all ages.

Under the motto “A journey with Charon: dying and killing in Rome”, this year’s edition offers a look at death, violence and the mechanisms of power in Antiquity. Through lectures, round tables, re-enactments and participatory activities, it will explore subjects such as funerary rituals, political assassinations and the religious and military practices of the Roman world.

Programme of the 2026 Maremagnum Festival of Classical Culture

Thursday, 26 March

  • 7:00 pm Presentation of the 2026 Festival of Classical Culture.
  • 7:30 pm Lecture by Sandra Parente: “Julia the Elder, Augustus’ only daughter: from an instrument of dynastic politics to a symbol of political scandal”.

Friday, 27 March

  • 9:00 am School forum.
  • 6:30 pm Lecture by Yasmin Bernúz Rodríguez: “Heirs of Circe; magic, potions and female killers in the Greco-Roman world”.
  • 7:30 pm Round table in the Pati de les Dones hall, chaired by Lluís Garcia Coll, with Juan Rita Larrucea, Yasmin Bernúz Rodríguez and Neus Rotger Bennàssar.

Saturday, 28 March

  • 10:00 am Route through the classical myths of Palma. Meeting point: plaça de la Reina.
  • 11:00 am “Poisons at the table”, lecture with a tasting of ancient recipes based on the most common poisons in the ancient world.
  • 4:30 pm Family forum. Ancient world workshops for the whole family.
  • 4:30 pm Pompa: procession of representative figures from the ancient world.
  • 4:45 pm Lighting of Vesta’s fire.
  • 5:00 pm Children’s storytelling activity: The myth of Alcestis.
  • 5:30 pm Cataract operation in ancient Rome.
  • 6:00 pm Exorcism of a legionary.
  • 6:30 pm Gladiator combat. Ludus Maremagnum.
  • 7:00 pm Sanguis et potestas. Theatrical micro-scenes.

Sunday, 29 March

  • 11:00 am “Death in classical Son Fornés”, with Cristina Rihuete Herrada. Includes a guided visit to the archaeological site.