Required fields are marked *. Saturnaliaand the time of the Winter Solsticeis a celebration of both sides of Saturn: the discipline and grueling work that we have completed throughout the year (especially relevant for an agricultural society like Ancient Rome, yet still meaningful today), rewarded with a period of rest and merrymaking. Sigh. The Romans believed that, in very ancient times, before Iupiter became the king of the deities, the cosmos had been ruled by Iupiter's father Saturnus. Posts on this site may contain affiliate linksthat allow me to earn a small commission from the purchases you make (at no extra cost to you!). Lustratio, which was a Roman purification ritual that consisted of sacrificing a pig, was likely performed during the Saturnalia Festival. An important job indeed. Saturnalia can be summarized as a holiday designed to defy social conventions. Gift-giving, still common during the Winter today, was incredibly prominent in ancient Rome as a Saturnalia tradition. The Old Magic of Christmas: Yuletide Traditions for the Darkest Days of the Year. Over the years, the length of the Saturnalia celebration evolved into three days, five days, and eventually seven days, as different emperors had different motives and intentions. The most prominent example is the reversal of roles involving slaves and theirowners. We offer a few recommendations here but let your familys traditions and preferences guide your Saturnalia celebrations every year. This was Saturnalia, the pagan Roman winter solstice festival. The holiday was celebrated on or around December 17 each year, at the end of the planting season. It was the liveliest festival of the year with sounds of merriment and preparation everywhere; it would be very difficult not to take notice of the Saturnalia celebrations even if you were new to the environment, as the people took it very, very seriously. Its popularity remained unwavered straight through the 3rd and 4th century, right up to Rome's adoption of Christianity. We decorate our Christmas tree, eat a Christmas ham and give gifts to one another not realizing where these traditions actually come from. Thus, the Saturnalia celebrations are the source of many traditions associated with Christmas. Times are really odd now, thanks for giving us some balance to think about for our lives. We keep track of fun holidays and special moments on the cultural calendar giving you exciting activities, deals, local events, brand promotions, and other exciting ways to celebrate. % of people told us that this article helped them. Llewellyn Publications. View all posts by Barbara Ardinger. But their attempts to ban Saturnalia were not successful, as it was so popular. Steps Download Article 1 Wear the colors of the holiday. During Saturnalia, peoples actions likely mirrored Mardi Gras much more closely than the Winter holiday traditions we celebrate today. Here we are in Decemberand what a year 2021 has been. Is Saturnalia Still Celebrated? - On Secret Hunt When Im outside walking, I pick up any coin (usually a penny) I see lying on the sidewalk. Held on the 17th of December it has evolved from a one-day holiday to a week-long festival, ending on the 23rd. The other four (Spring Equinox,Summer Solstice,Autumn Equinox, and Winter Solstice) represent the suns location. Required fields are marked *. And the third was a feast day celebrating the shortest day, called the bruma by the Romans. It was common for livestock to be sacrificed at the temple to honor Saturn. At its peak, Saturnalia was a rowdy festival where the established social order was turned upside down. If youd like to represent Saturn at your altar, include a representation of the scythe which is Saturns symbol. Probably one of the most prominent traditions weve kept around all these years that stems from Saturnalia celebrations is gift giving. As a result, much of the Roman Empire celebrated Saturnalia, creating large areas with unified customs. This custom was altered and absorbed into Christmas, and this allowed early Christians to gradually erase these old pagan holidays. It was developed over centuries to become a major public holiday with free games and entertainment. For this holiday season, lets remember Saturn and Ops. Im Amanda, The Peculiar Brunette, and Im an atheist Pagan. 2023 Classical Wisdom Limited. They were allowed to wear their masters clothes and a, The Catiline conspirators intended to fire the city and kill the Senate on the Saturnalia, when everyone was busy partying, Then there were the relatively harmless frat boy qualities of the festival. To date, she has edited more than 400 books, both fiction and nonfiction, on a wide range of topics. The entire neighborhood is lit up and an unshakeable feeling of joy, merriment, and even a bit of primality fills the air. Originally celebrated on December 17th, this festivus for the rest of us was so popular that it was eventually extended over the week. If you have a credible source stating correct pronunciation, please let me know. Saturnalia, held in mid-December, is an ancient Roman pagan festival. Romans spend Saturnalia much like how we spend Christmas; feasting, drinking, gift-giving, and being joyful. So when Alfred the Great gave free-men 12 days at Yule in the late 9th century, he meant a Christmas vacay. Your email address will not be published. And the aristocracy, who usually wore conservative clothes, dressed in brightly coloured fabrics such as red, purple and gold. It wasn't sudden. What Does Inextricably Mean In A Sentence? They would put together whatever clothes they wanted. Barbaras day job is freelance editing for people who have good ideas but dont want to embarrass themselves in print. The colors are green and gold. Seneca (who died in AD 62) complained that the mob went out of control in pleasantries, and Pliny the Younger wrote in one of his letters that he holed up in his study while the rest of the household celebrated. Why didnt they just take the wings off the damn Shuttle? How many of us remember the spectacular displays in department store windows in the olden days? I have a lung disease. Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. Try making snacks into the shapes of sun, moon, stars, herd animals, and fertility symbols. Christmas Traditions in the Ancient World | Classical Wisdom Weekly, Top Ten: Most Terrifying Monsters Of Greek Mythology, Five Reasons Why Socrates Was A Terrible Husband, The 5 Most Powerful Creatures From Mythology, Prometheus The Creation of Man and a History of Enlightenment. In 325AD, Constantine the Great, the first Christian Roman emperor, introduced Christmas as an immovable feast on 25 December. Christmas can refer to December 25 itself, but it can also refer to the whole Christmas season. Today its a disease that has metastasized throughout the body of society. The poet Catullus called it "the best of days". We can start with small magical work. After the conversion of the Roman emperor to Christianity, the church elders sought a more solemn celebration for their Christian followers. The reversal of roles also appeared in public dress, where Romans wore casual clothing instead of the typical togas or tunics. Roman Forum: Temple of Saturn Originally celebrated on December 17, Saturnalia was extended first to three and eventually to seven days. Which Herbs Are Best for Spiritual Protection? As a small thank you, wed like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). Saturnalia - World History Encyclopedia These were sometimes hung in greenery as a form of decoration, and people would bring in holly and berries to honour Saturn. Read our privacy for more information. The ancient Romans celebrated the festival Saturnalia in honor of Saturn, the god of sowing or seeding. Dont stop ranting we all need to rant we need trees to breath to purify water to bring us rain. I bet everyone reading this post lives thriftilyand we all know about sharing. Being the elder, it is the slowest and most distant planet that can be seen with the naked eye. It's important to understand that much of the information about this festival spans about 500 years of written information and different Roman sources. A fish sauce called garum was very popular and served as a substitute for salt. Saturnalia is a holiday that existed to celebrate Saturn, a god in the Roman Pantheon. Augustus attempted to limit the holiday to three days, so the civil courts would not have to be closed any longer than necessary, and Caligula extended it to five. History of Christmas - Origins, Traditions & Facts During Saturnalia, celebrations were held not only at home but also in the temple of Saturn in Rome. Auspiciously meant to worship the God Saturn (or Greek Kronus), it essentially grew into an event that seems to have captured some of the best and worst of human qualities. Answer Christmas, the day on which Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, is sometimes linked to the pagan festival known as Saturnalia. Use it to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying full pricewine, food delivery, clothing and more. Western culture of today derived many of its traditional midwinter celebrations from Saturnalia. The Saturnalia officially was celebrated on December 17 (a.d. XVI Kal. Learn how your comment data is processed. Wear green and gold, as these are the official colors of the holiday. Lets celebrate the coming holidays with the antique ancestor of the Feast of Fools. Saturnalia was a festival celebrated by the ancient Romans. The gag gifts were called sigillaria and were typically wax dolls and figurines made to resemble gods, mythical heroes, and even grotesque monsters. December 5th. Plus, bay laurel just smells amazing. This was most notably seen in the allowances given to slaves to buy small gifts. Martin G. Collins Syncretismas! It is believed that this decision was driven by efforts to convert pagans in the empire to Christianity. Its important to understand that much of the information about this festival spans about 500 years of written information and different Roman sources. Saturnalia, a holiday in honor of Saturn, the god of agriculture, was a weeklong celebration in the days leading up to the winter solstice. On the first day of the Saturnalia celebrations, a young pig would be sacrificed publicly. A character in Macrobiuss Saturnalia [an encyclopedic celebration of Roman culture written in the early fifth century] quotes from an unnamed priest of the god Saturn that, according to the god himself, during the Saturnalia all things that are serious are barred. I learned a lot! This title was bestowed in playful mockery of Roman emperors. The pagan celebration of the Roman god, Saturn, first began as a single day, but later extended to a whole week during the late Republic. The final day of the week-long festivities was called Sigillaria and ended with gift-giving. Macrobius confirms this, and says that the rowdy participants would spill out onto the street, with the participants shouting, Io Saturnalia! the way we might greet people with Merry Christmas! or Happy New Year!. What other Opulistic work can we do? Saturnalia and Everything You Need To Know About This Winter Festival, Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. So many people have lost loved ones over the past two years and will be having a sorrowful holiday season. Saturnalia: the History and Traditions of the Winter Festival - by Saturnalia: Roman Precursor To Christmas? - Celebrate Pagan Holidays Ops was a goddess of grain and fruit. Mythology tells a tale of Saturn arriving and teaching Romans all their farming practices, including cultivating grapes. Giving gifts was the most important aspect outside of the public feast signillaria (small wax or pottery figurines, which some think became the toys we give out today). People were permitted to gamble in public and bob for corks in ice water. She is an active member of the neopagan community and is well known for the rituals she creates and leads. I didnt know about Ops before. It is today associated with decorations, gift-giving and indulgence. You notice the evergreen garlands draped over every threshold and wall of the city. The pagans and Christians lived together during this time, and this might have represented an effort for the pagans to receive Christianity as Romes official religion. Often depicted in art wielding a scythe he was considered an agricultural god, especially associated with seed-corn. But how was the pagan festival of Saturnalia celebrated, and how did it influence and morph into the Christmas celebrations that we know and love? October 8th, 2013. Theologians decided that Jesus was most likely born in spring and the Bible also does not give a date for the celebration of his birth. Ian. Perhaps the most famous midwinter celebration is the Saturnalia of Ancient Rome. Around the time of the winter solstice each year, they celebrated the festival of Saturnalia. So many important messages in this post, thanks Barbara. How Do You Tell If Its A Sea Breeze Or A Land Breeze? Another tradition was a reversal of roles. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. Businesses, courts, schools, and other social patterns were suspended while people spent time doing more fun activities. But it wasnt all fun and games with Saturn. Yes, we should share more with those who are without, something I do on a regular basis. However, some historians think December 25th was chosen since it takes place nine months after the Spring Equinox. Lets organize our own Saturnalias. Another way we can celebrate compassionately is by connecting in a COVID-safe way with those who may be alone, especially if they are alone for the holidays for the first time, whether that is through Zoom, phone calls, or whatever is appropriate. Many of these foods were only eaten by the very rich, whereas the regular Roman citizens ate a simpler diet. From at least as early as 217 B.C., there were public Saturnalia banquets. Matot-Massei: The Question of Womens Agency and Lives under Patriarchy. If youd like to go traditional, make wax or wooden figures as sigillaria in the gods likenesses. What happened to Saturnalia, and when did it die out? Now, it would be difficult to stop a party that good, wouldnt it? Barbara Ardinger, Ph.D. (www.barbaraardinger.com), is a published author and freelance editor.