Historical past for Children: The Roman Vacation Saturnalia

As winter is simply across the nook, its nearly time for the vacation season! Come study all concerning the historic Roman winter vacation Saturnalia and get into the vacation seasonal spirit.

Children who love historical past, Historic Rome, or prefer to find out about different holidays and cultures will love studying this text! You possibly can learn this at dwelling or within the class room, both manner your youngsters will discover Saturnalia to be fairly the attention-grabbing vacation!

Saturnalia

Saturnalia was a Roman competition that occurred between December seventeenth to December twenty fifth yearly. The Romans would have a good time the harvest and honored the Roman god, Saturn. Throughout this competition the Romans would interact of all types of merriment and festivities.

The traditional Romans cherished their festivals, and Saturnalia was one of many largest of every 12 months!

The Roman God Saturn

Throughout Saturnalia the Romans would have a good time and worship Saturn, who was the Roman god of the harvest and agriculture. The competition Saturnalia was named after Saturn’s Latin identify, Saturnus. Not lots is thought about Saturn, however he’s seemingly related to the Greek god, Kronos as they’ve related myths and historical past.

Saturn is often depicted as a person, often older, carrying some type of grey cloak and often carrying a cane or sickle. He was honored by the Romans throughout Saturnalia on the temple of Saturn for bringing them a harvest.

For many of the 12 months till Saturnalia, a statue of Saturn would both be completely sure or have his toes sure in wool. On the day of the competition, the bindings can be eliminated or loosened by a Roman priest and mark the start of festivities.

Celebrating the Harvest

Saturnalia was one of many longest operating and hottest Roman festivals. Based on the Roman creator Livy, the competition might have begun within the fifth century BCE, however there’s some proof that it might have begun a lot earlier.

In early Roman historical past, Saturnalia was a easy, sooner or later lengthy harvest competition. It occurred when folks would accumulate the ultimate harvest of the 12 months and have a good time their bounty. The Romans would clear themselves and costume of their best garments to attend the Temple of Saturn the place they’d worship the god. All types of work can be stopped for the day, letting folks benefit from the vacation.

Larger and higher!

As Rome grew, so did the dimensions of the celebration. Across the third century CE, some Greek practices and traditions had been dropped at Rome, which had been adopted by a number of reforms. Saturnalia can be given a selected day that it was celebrated on, December seventeenth, and was expanded to be celebrated for a complete week.

Days earlier than the competition, folks would start to organize for the competition. Many preparations needed to be made, because the competition was practically per week lengthy and rural Romans can be flocking to the key cities to have a good time.

Within the morning on the primary day, the competition started with a parade feating the Roman priest of Saturn and plenty of bulls that might be sacrificed to the Roman Gods. A blinding feast can be held and the festivities would start!

All conventional Roman roles and social norms can be loosened because the Romans started to social gathering. Roman slaves had been handled as equals and typically they, together with some kids got the place as “princeps” by their households for the competition, permitting for them to guide celebration. Salves had been principally exempt from punishment and had been served by their masters.

For the remaining six days of the competition, wild partying would guarantee. The Romans didn’t work or attend to any civil duties throughout Saturnalia, because it was a time for celebration and enjoyable! The Roman Boards had been filled with folks as partying, consuming, and playing would happen.

Everybody in Rome partied, together with emperors, writers, and senators!

Saturnalia video

Here’s a enjoyable and academic cooking video by Tasting Historical past with Max Miller that includes an historic Roman desert which will have been eaten throughout Saturnalia! I’ve not tried to make this dish myself, however should you do tell us what you assume!

MORE HISTORY FUN AND ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS FROM KIDS ACTIVITIES BLOG

Sources

Donald L Wasson. “Saturn.” World Historical past Encyclopedia. www.worldhistory.org#group, November 17, 2023. Final modified November 17, 2023. Accessed November 19, 2023. https://www.worldhistory.org/Saturn/.

Mark Cartwright. “Saturnalia.” World Historical past Encyclopedia. www.worldhistory.org#group, November 17, 2023. Final modified November 17, 2023. Accessed November 19, 2023. https://www.worldhistory.org/Saturnalia/.�

Max Miller. “Celebrating Saturnalia with Cato’s Globi.” YouTube. YouTube, December 15, 2020. Final modified December 15, 2020. Accessed November 30, 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvURMFzcIqc&t=831s.�

“Saturnalia: The Jolliest Historic Roman Pageant!” YouTube. YouTube, December 15, 2020. Final modified December 15, 2020. Accessed November 19, 2023. www.youtube.com/watch?v=id–bsV7Wv8.�

Zoe Ortiz. “Faith within the Empire.” HIST 4004.00: The Roman Empire, (class lecture, College of North Texas, TX, Fall 2023).