![]() ![]() This high spirited festival engendered many of our own holiday traditions such as extravagant feasting, kissing under the mistletoe, lighting candles, wearing silly hats, exchanging gifts and the odd orgy. Seated at the tables together with their masters, the slaves would have these few days to feel as their masters did. As free citizens, the servants of the Romans were allowed to get drunk and gamble during Saturnalia. You know, way, way, way back in mythic times, when everyone was equal and free and the "man" wasn't around to keep us down. Treated as equal with their masters, slaves were allowed to wear a felt pileus hat, which was the mark of a freed slave. Janus (the two faced fella who gives his name to next month) supposedly started the tradition in remembrance of the Golden Age of Saturn's rule. His fertile wife, Ops, goddess of plenty, was also celebrated around this time. On the boisterous nights of Saturnalia, a popular festival th. Slaves, who ordinarily were not entitled to wear the pilleus, wore it as well, so that everyone was 'pilleated' without distinction. During the winter festival, the Romans decorated their homes with gr eenery. Romans of citizen status normally went about bare-headed, but for the Saturnalia donned the pilleus, the conical felt cap that was the usual mark of a freedman. ![]() Hadrian is set among foliage, holly (sacred to Saturn), pine leaves, candles and images of the god Saturn. It went hand in hand with other yearly feast days with which we are more familiar, like Bacchanalia (In honour of Bacchus), however, by all accounts, Saturnalia was the most popular and joyful of the Roman holidays. on the development of the Jewish hat have been provided by art historian Ruth Mellinkoff. These pointy hats were traditionally worn by freedmen but during Saturnalia all men, regardless of status, wore the pilleum. It was a winter solstice festival in honor of the merry old god of the seed and its sowing, and if he was cranky, the blighting of crops. Saturnalia was a week-long celebration held in Ancient Rome in honour of Saturn - God of Wealth, Agriculture, Renewal and Time. This holiday includes socializing, playing music, and gift-giving, specifically candles to represent the return of light after the Winter Solstice. In antiquity, the feast of Saturn or “Saturnalia” was celebrated from about December 17th through the 23rd. Saturnalia is an ancient Roman holiday that honors Saturn, the Roman god of agriculture. Yet, you must admit they did know how to PARTY, especially during those barren winter months. The Romans are often bagged on as being the Borg of the ancient world: assimilating barbarian cultures left and right, stealing the style and grace of the Greeks, tossing the odd Christian to lions.
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