Saturnalia Topics

• sol invictus
• dinner clothes
• knuckle bones
• hunting knife
• pileus
• informal dinner
• christian holiday
• school holiday
• epistles
• toothpicks
• pretense
• freedman
• disrespect
• slaves
• toga
• sausage
• perfumes
• statues
• masks

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Saturnalia, Saturnalia

Besides the public rites there were a series of holidays and customs celebrated privately. The celebrations included a school holiday, the making and giving of small presents ( saturnalia et sigillaricia ) and a special market ( sigillaria ). Gambling was allowed for all, even slaves; however, although it was officially condoned only during this period, one should not assume that it was rare or much remarked upon during the rest of the year. It was a time to eat, drink, and be merry. The toga was not worn, but rather the synthesis, i.e. colorful, informal "dinner clothes"; and the pileus (freedman's hat) was worn by everyone. Slaves were exempt from punishment, and treated their masters with (a pretense of) disrespect. The slaves celebrated a banquet: before, with, or served by the masters. Yet the reversal of the social order was mostly superficial; the banquet, for example, would often be prepared by the slaves, and they would prepare their masters' dinner as well. It was license within careful boundaries; it reversed the social order without subverting it. Woolf, Greg. March 2005. See handout sources.

For example: writing tablets, dice, knuckle bones, moneyboxes, combs, toothpicks, a hat, a hunting knife, an axe, various lamps, balls, perfumes, pipes, a pig, a sausage, a parrot, tables, cups, spoons, items of clothing, statues, masks, books, and pets. Pliny in Epistles 2.17.24 (early second century AD) describes a secluded suite of rooms in his Laurentine villa which he uses as a retreat: ...especially during the Saturnalia when the rest of the house is noisy with the licence of the holiday and festive cries. This way I don't hamper the games of my people and they don't hinder my work/studies.

However, with many of the traditions of Saturnalia incorporated into Sol Invictus , it is possible that some of those traditions such as the exchanging of gifts were also carried forward as a part of the Christian holiday.

Source: Wikipedia > Saturnalia