In Britain, the celebration of spring has a very long history. The old Celtic festival of Beltane signaled the end of winter and the coming of summer. It was the time when the cattle were turned out to their summer grazing pastures. Later, when the Romans occupied Britain, they introduced their own May feast for the worship of Flora, the goddess of flowers, and Maia, the goddess of spring for whom the month of May is named. So, gradually, the rituals of the Roman floralia were blended into Celtic Beltane rituals as a May festival. The result was the celebration of May Day and the traditions that developed around it.