Starting on the 17th December and lasting for 5 days the festival of Saturnalia is a roman winter festival. It was originally created as a moral booster after a crushing military defeat at the hands of the Carthaginians and lasted for one day. Saturnalia proved to be a success and that it was extended and ended up lasting a week. The Festival of Saturnalia was dedicated to Saturn Roman god of agriculture and harvest. During the Festival of saturnalia the role of master and slave would be reversed slaves would during saturnalia it was forbidden to punish slaves would be allowed to treat their masters with disrespect. Slaves would also feast sometime with their master or served by their masters. The where a number of celebrations that took place publicly and privately their would be holidays from education and gift making, lectisternium (propitiatory ceremony, consisting of a meal offered to gods and goddesses) and untying of the ropes that bound the statue of Saturn during the rest of the year. Gamble was permitted in public and even slave where allowed to join in. The Festival of Saturnalia was a well-organised festival with strict control the idea of Saturnalia was to reversed the social order without subverting it. Saturnalia would start at the Temple of Saturn with a sacrifice followed with a huge public feast. It was common to hear people calling the greeting “Io, Saturnalia!” celebrants would wear bright informal dining cloths and a brimless, felt cap, called a Pileus. Related articles Christmas tradition —
