how did saturnalia become christmas

The holiday was celebrated as the Roman pagan solstice, or birthday of the unconquered sun, which began on December 17 and ended December 25. - Source:https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Io,_Saturnalia!_(31453908001).jpg, There is evidence that Saturnalia as a festival was celebrated for around a century after the conversion of Rome to Christianity. The name of his consort Ops meant "wealth, resources". [3][4] The Greek writer Athenaeus also cites numerous other examples of similar festivals celebrated throughout the Greco-Roman world,[5] including the Cretan festival of Hermaia in honor of Hermes, an unnamed festival from Troezen in honor of Poseidon, the Thessalian festival of Peloria in honor of Zeus Pelorios, and an unnamed festival from Babylon. [106][111][14] Like Saturnalia, Christmas during the Middle Ages was a time of ruckus, drinking, gambling, and overeating. The cult statue of Saturn himself, traditionally bound at the feet with woolen bands, was untied, presumably to come out and join the fun. Saturnalia | Celebration, Sacrifice, & Influence on Christmas it had expanded to a weeklong festival beginning December 17. Pork was the favorite Roman meat, and in the words of the poet Martial, a pig will make you a good Saturnalia. Live pigs and pork sausage were given as gifts during Saturnalia, and pigs were the traditional sacrifice offered to Saturn and other chthonic deities (gods of the earth and Underworld). It started as a farming ritual, where farmers would offer gifts and sacrifices to the gods in celebration of the winter solstice and the winter planting season. Saturnalia was the Roman equivalent to the earlier Greek holiday of Kronia, which was celebrated during the Attic month of Hekatombaion in late midsummer. "[8] In Lucian's Saturnalia it is Chronos himself who proclaims a "festive season, when 'tis lawful to be drunken, and slaves have license to revile their lords". Pliny describes a secluded suite of rooms in his Laurentine villa, which he used as a retreat: "especially during the Saturnalia when the rest of the house is noisy with the licence of the holiday and festive cries. People decorated their homes with wreaths and other greenery, and shed their traditional togas in favor of colorful clothes known as synthesis. Get HISTORYs most fascinating stories delivered to your inbox three times a week. A good Saturnalicius princeps would do the following: The Saturnalicius princeps was chosen by fate: a small coin would be hidden in a cake served at the beginning of the festivities. It fell in the hands of the Romans when, thanks to its strategic location near Pian di Palma necropolis, the river Albegna, and the thermal waters, they seized it and renamed it Saturnia. According to Wikipedia's information - "In one of the earliest attested and most famous incidents from his life, he is said to have rescued three girls from being forced into prostitution by dropping a sack of gold coins through the window of their house each night for three nights so their father could pay a dowry for each of them." [80] Caligula extended official observances to five. [12][13][14][15], Saturnalia underwent a major reform in 217 BC, after the Battle of Lake Trasimene, when the Romans suffered one of their most crushing defeats by Carthage during the Second Punic War. It is estimated that at the peak of slavery in the Roman empire, slaves consisted of around 40 percent of the entire population in Rome. [61] Children received toys as gifts. The Bible does not give a date for Jesus birth; in fact, some theologians have concluded he was probably born in spring, as suggested by references to shepherds and sheep in the Nativity story. The Romans equated him with the Greek agricultural deity Cronus. Before the end of the fourth century, many of the traditions of Saturnaliaincluding giving gifts, singing, lighting candles, feasting and merrymakinghad become absorbed by the traditions of Christmas as many of us know them today. Christmas & Dec. 25th: NOT Derived from Saturnalia IMAGE COURTESY OF DAVID TENIERS THE YOUNGER, PUBLIC DOMAIN, VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS. There is evidence that Saturnalia as a festival was celebrated for around a century after the conversion of Rome to Christianity. Christmas owes its roots to the ancient Roman holiday of Saturnalia, which was a pagan festival which was celebrated from December 17-25 each year. "The reciprocal influences of the Saturnalia, The identity or title of this priest is unknown; perhaps the, More precisely, eight days were subsidized from the Imperial treasury (, Beryl Rawson, "Adult-Child Relationships in Ancient Rome," in, The painting represents a scene recorded by. By the later days of the Roman Empire, the holiday was seen as just an occasion for revelry with its religious origins all but forgotten. Saturnalia may have influenced some of the customs associated with later celebrations in western Europe occurring in midwinter, particularly traditions associated with Christmas, the Feast of the Holy Innocents, and Epiphany. The festival sets the precedence for Christmas celebrations, and it is undeniable that Saturnalias influence lingers on today. "[68], As a deity of agricultural bounty, Saturn embodied prosperity and wealth in general. cannot be accurately determined. Rice water. Saturnalia, the most popular of Roman festivals. or "Throw him into cold water! Slaves, who ordinarily were not entitled to wear the pilleus, wore it as well, so that everyone was "pilleated" without distinction. Some of the key components to celebrating Saturnalia were the reversal of roles: dress codes were relaxed as Romans donned colourful dinner wear instead of a toga and slaves and masters ate together; perhaps the masters even served food to the slaves as Saturnalia practices varied over time. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! Two of the most famous Roman holidays are Saturnalia and Lupercalia. Church year - Liturgical Calendar, Seasons, Feasts | Britannica Christmas is a time for family, friends, and giving gifts. Dear Filipino-American: Did Magellan Lose His Head? PHOTO BY STEVE PUNTER, VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS /, IMAGE COURTESY OF ARTHUR HUGHES, PUBLIC DOMAIN, VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS. The celebration of agriculture, dedicated to the god Saturn, was such a hit that it was extended to a seven-day party. Saturnalia, the most popular holiday on the ancient Roman calendar, derived from older farming-related rituals of midwinter and the winter solstice, especially the practice of offering gifts or sacrifices to the gods during the winter sowing season. Originally celebrated on December 17, Saturnalia was extended first to three and eventually to seven days. Saturnalia itself was an adaptation of the Ancient Greek festival known as Kronia (named after the Greek equivalent of Saturn, Kronos), which was celebrated in midsummer rather than midwinter. Courts were not in session, so no justice was administered, and no declaration of war could be made. HOW SATURNALIA BECAME CHRISTMAS - SATURNALIA THE ROMAN MOST - YouTube The possible secret of Asian beauty? Some emperors were noted for their devoted observance of the Sigillaria. Each year, a beggar or student would be crowned the lord of misrule and eager celebrants played the part of his subjects. Home | About | Contact | Copyright | Report Content | Privacy | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions | Sitemap. Roman society depended on the labor of slaves; people referred to as tools that speak, that did the work that in modern civilization is done by machines. It was felt, thus, that the original day had thus been moved by two days, and so Saturnalia was celebrated under Augustus as a three-day official holiday encompassing both dates. At the time, all of these different groups shared one big celebration that just hapened to fall around Christmas time the winter solstice. Jesus actual date of birth is unknown, and scholars have estimated that he could have been born in June or perhaps around the spring equinox. READ MORE: 10 Innovations That Built Ancient Rome. The Pilgrims, English separatists that came to America in 1620, were even more orthodox in their Puritan beliefs than Cromwell. Saturnalia did not become Christmas in a linear way, but its influence lingers on. Saturnalia was held in honour of the Roman god Saturn and was supposed to represent the revelries of the Golden Age of men: a mythical time where men and gods lived in harmony. Rome officially became Christian in 313 CE, but the transition from a pagan society to a Christian society was not an entirely smooth one. Saturn is considerably colder than Jupiter being further from the Sun, with an average temperature of about -285 degrees F. 2023 Caniry - All Rights Reserved Instead of working, Romans spent Saturnalia gambling, singing, playing music, feasting, socializing and giving each other gifts. How Christians co-opted the winter solstice - Big Think We strive for accuracy and fairness. A. Though December 25 is the day Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the date itself and several of the customs weve come to associate with Christmas actually evolved from pagan traditions celebrating the winter solstice. They also ate dates and honey. Romulus and Remus, the legendary founders of Rome. [104] As William Warde Fowler notes: "[Saturnalia] has left its traces and found its parallels in great numbers of medieval and modern customs, occurring about the time of the winter solstice. Saint Francis of Assisi is credited with creating the first live Nativity Scene in 1223 in order to cultivate the worship of Christ. We suspect he was probably just jealous he didnt get invited to any of the best parties. The first Christmas trees were brought indoors by 16th-century German Christians, and Martin Luther is credited with placing the first burning candles in a Christmas tree to mimic the sparkling . The Roman poet Catullus described Saturnalia as the best of times he didnt even have to offer a caveat, like the Christmas-obsessed Charles Dickens did in his novel Great Expectations. The ancients were obsessed with fertility. . Saturnalia: The party that became Christmas - YT&T: Study Hall.Rocks In ancient Roman religion and myth, Luna is the divine embodiment of the Moon (Latin Lna ). While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. During Augustus reign, the festival was only two days long, yet Lucian, a later imperial poet, describes it as a seven-day event. Gambling was also permitted and even encouraged for slaves and masters alike as the feasting and merriment got underway. Regardless, there is no evidence that the widely celebrated date of Christmas was his actual date of birth. 2023, A&E Television Networks, LLC. On the other hand, by clicking only on accept strictly necessary cookies, you will receive non-targeted advertising whose number and repetition will not be limited. How Saturnalia became Christmas: The transition from ancient to present and pagan to Christian, Some of the key components to celebrating Saturnalia were the reversal of roles: dress codes were relaxed as Romans donned colourful dinner wear instead of a toga and slaves and masters ate together; perhaps the masters even served food to the slaves as Saturnalia practices varied over time. [72] In a poem about a lavish Saturnalia under Domitian, Statius makes it clear that the emperor, like Jupiter, still reigns during the temporary return of Saturn. ", Although probably the best-known Roman holiday, Saturnalia as a whole is not described from beginning to end in any single ancient source. The history of the festival is interesting as the traditions shift to reflect the current status of Rome, and eventually, as Rome becomes Christian in the 3rd Century CE the customs begin to shift to reflect this. In myth he was the father of Picus. The Neoplatonist philosopher Porphyry interpreted the freedom associated with Saturnalia as symbolizing the "freeing of souls into immortality". Christmas Facts | Britannica There may be an ancient connectionnot, however, for the reasons some skeptics assume. It was a strongly emotive ritual exclamation or invocation, used for instance in announcing triumph or celebrating Bacchus, but also to punctuate a joke. A Roman colony arrived in 183 BC, but little is known about it other than the fact that it was a prefecture. The date also shifts; it is always in December, but the climax of the festival shifted from December 25th to the winter solstice and back again. Fertility rituals, holidays, worship, oils and poultices and foods. Until that time, they had celebrated the holiday according to Roman custom ( more Romano). Dionysius of Halicarnassus lists Saturnia as one of the towns first occupied by the Pelasgi and then by the Etruscan civilization. As anyone who saw the film Spartacus this system had an inherent instability since those speaking tools were human beings and often resented being forced to work for others. [112] In some parts of France, during the boy bishop's tenure, the actual clergy would wear masks or dress in women's clothing, a reversal of roles in line with the traditional character of Saturnalia. Top Questions What is Christmas? Clockwise from Top Left: Jack Camerons Christmas card featuring a photograph of Cameron performing his drunk nightclub act.
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