Io Saturnalia Dec 2013 Io eeoh or yeoh
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Io, Saturnalia! Dec. 2013 *Io (ee-oh or ye-oh) Saturnalia was the traditional holiday greeting. “Io” translates Yay!, Hey!, Yo!, etc.
What Was Saturnalia? • Saturnalia was the Roman festival in honor of the god (Titan) Saturn • Festivities lasted Dec. 17 -23 • Saturn was an early Roman god of agriculture, plenty, wealth, time, and liberation
How Was Saturnalia Celebrated? • A ceremony and sacrifice at the Temple of Saturn in the Roman Forum • A “public banquet” after the sacrifice • Then people would celebrate at home with dinners, gifts, and fun.
What Was Saturnalia Like? • Courts and schools were closed • Everyone, slave and citizen, could wear the pilleus, the “freedman’s cap” • Gambling was temporarily legal • Instead of wearing formal togas, people wore colorful Greek-style clothing • Friends and families enjoyed dinners and exchanged gifts • Evergreen decorations
What Was Saturnalia Like? • Saturnalia was a time of “role reversal!” • Slaves enjoyed a banquet like their masters (sometimes the master would serve) • A person (often a child) would be elected “princeps Saturnalicius” and give silly orders • “Free speech” was tolerated: slaves could be sassy, children bossy, etc…(in theory)
Saturnalia Gifts • Dec. 23 was called the “Sigillaria” • Sigillaria were small clay or wax figurines given as gifts (usually as toys), sold at special markets. • Saturnalia gifts were often small, but could be expensive, too.
Saturnalia Gifts • Cheap gifts symbolized the “equality” of Saturnalia. Gag gifts were popular, too. • Sigillaria, silver objects, and wax candles were traditional gifts for Saturnalia. • Multiple gifts could be given over several days, sometimes with a poem (like a card) attached
Examples of Gifts (Martial, 84 -85 AD) • • • writing tablets dice knucklebones moneybox comb toothpick hat hunting knife axe lamps ball perfume pipes a pig sausage a parrot table cups spoons clothing statue mask books pets
