"In Roman mythology, (the "Golden Age" was) an era at the beginning of the world, when Saturn ruled Latium. It was a period of perfect harmony and prosperity. War and battle were unknown, as were crime and injustice. Laws were redundant. The earth of itself brought forth fruits and even among animals there was peace."

                                                                          (from the Encyclopedia Mythica)


Saturn was identified with the Greek Titan Cronus, but had an independent Roman tradition as an agricultural god. His temple in Rome also housed the Aerarium (the state treasury ). The Saturnalia was one of Rome's oldest holidays. It recalled the "Golden Age" of the rule of Saturn with a general relaxation of sterner customs. Many of the festivities have their echoes even today.

Some common elements of winter solstice celebrations:

• Small gifts were exchanged. Candles, celebrating the return of the sun, are a traditional item for these kinds of observances. (Remember Freddy's posts about the gift cereii?) "Strenae" ( holly twigs with small treats tied to them) were early Roman gifts, as were cult images.
  
  
• Wax candles were an extravagant gift. Oil lamps, torches, rush lamps, or firelight were used for ordinary lighting, depending on the wealth of the family, and most people simply did not do much after dark.
  
  
• There were evergreen decorations, principally holly and pine. Mistletoe was associated with immortality (in the Norse legend of Balder, for example), and was also supposed to open locks. It was associated with healing -- as is myrrh. (The Chicago Tribune has just run this on modern methods of harvesting mistletoe.)
  
  
• A sumptuous dinner was another tradition. A Roman practice was a dinner featuring slaves and masters exchanging places (preserved today in many other such exchanges, such as officers and enlisted in the military). The turnabout of slaves and masters echoed the displacement of the chthonic gods (such as Saturn) by the Olympians. The medieval "Lord of Misrule" was a survival of this custom.
  
  
• Another freedom was that of casual dress. The synthesis (a long tunic-type garment) was worn, rather than toga usual for formal occasions such as sumptuous dinners. (I find no ccorresponding reference to ladies' attire for the holiday, which suggests that they wore their usual party tunicae, stolae, and pallae.)
  
  
• Gambling was legal. During the rest of the year, it was punishable by a fine of four times the stakes. (Racetrack gambling was always legal, of course.) Races, hunts, sports and games are still associated with mid-winter celebrations.
  
  
• Even the gods enjoyed unaccustomed freedoms. Cult images in temples were usually bound or chained to their places (largely to prevent their being stolen, especially by invaders seeking to capture a city's protector). During the holiday, the skeins of wool binding Saturn's image to his throne in the Temple in the Forum were loosed.
  
  
• Their priests, as well: offerings were made in honor of Saturn with uncovered heads, unlike usual Roman practice.
  
  
• Another traditional observance fell towards the end of the holiday period, the Festival of the Sigillaria (personal terra cotta signature seals). The giving of small gift objects, especially to children, was associated with this time, as were (more) feasting and (more) green plants.

, developers of the game SPQR, was the site that drew together the group of us for whom this page was originally written. With the dotcom collapse, pretend Ancient Rome has gone the way of the real one, and the pages that resided there have either fled or perished. I am tracking down as many as I can; the missing are marked with this tag:   

• A description of the Saturnalia is available from our resident scholar, L. Aelius Stilo, in his Encyclopedia Romana.
  
  
• Another is offered by the proprietor of the Mysteries Set in Rome page.
  
  
• One of SPQR's oldest traditions is a Saturnalia thread. We had one on the Old (Pathfinder) Rostra (now restored!!!!), and we have one in the AncientSites Forum   ( previous years, too).  
  
  
• Our own Livia Drusa presents an array of Saturnalia delights.(off-line this year --- Livia Drusa is otherwise occupied. Perhaps a stroll in her Villa Garden, instead?)
  
  
• M Didius (of the Un-Official Falco Companion) is also missing-in-action this year, so no new Advent Calendar.      Perhaps a holiday visit to Falco-land?
  
  
• And Citizen Senex Caecilius presents an Account of Saturnalia Gift-Giving (preceded by his Advent Calendar).
  
  
• A seasonal story retrofitted for our time is How The Grinch Stole Christmas in Latin (link is to the publisher's promotional page).

• Visit the Templum Saturni.
  
  
• Read about Saturn's Greek antecedent, Kronos as the ancients saw him.
  
  
• NASA explains the god behind the Sixth Planet (with astronomical history and all the newly-named moons, too).
  
  

• Some neo-pagans have an extensive site dealing with their interests.
  
  
• They have some material on the Roman Festivals of this time of year.
  
  
• They offer a neo-pagan ritual that they describe as based on authentic ancient sources.
  
  
  

This page's URL is:
http://pages.prodigy.net/feaudrey/saturnal.htm