Io Saturnalia! How You Can Celebrate This Wild Roman Holiday in the Modern Age
Welcome to the wildest festival on the Roman calendar.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links from Amazon and other sites that we collect a share of sales from. You may learn more here.
When it comes to pagan holidays full of merriment and revelry, one of the most boisterous was Saturnalia. Saturnalia is an ancient Roman holiday held between December 17th and 23rd to honor the Roman god Saturn.
Here’s a look at the meaning of Saturnalia and how the Romans celebrated the ancient pagan holiday known as “the festival of misrule.” I’ve also included some ways you can celebrate the holiday that Catullus called “the best of times” today.
What Is Saturnalia?
Saturnalia was a public holiday held in December and celebrated by the Ancient Romans. It began as a harvest festival to honor Saturn and the end of the growing season.
Saturnalia began on December 17th and depending on the Emperor and the calendar, ended somewhere between December 23rd and December 31st.
While it may seem odd to honor the god who ate his children with a joyful festival, keep in mind that to the Romans, Saturn was also the god of liberty, abundance, agriculture, and wealth.
According to the poet Macrobius’ writings about the holiday, the first day of Saturnalia was known as Opalia, and was a feast day for Saturn’s wife, the goddess of abundance. The third day of the festival was a feast day held on the Winter Solstice. The final day was known as Sigillaria, the feast of statues, on which small statutes were exchanged.
Eventually, all of these separate celebrations merged together and became a longer festival. Though, its length changed over time. Emperor Augustus (27 BC – AD 14) shortened it. Emperor Caligula (AD 37-41) lengthened it. And, by the time of Macrobius in the 4th or 5th century, the holiday was nearly two weeks long, despite the fact that Christianity had become the dominant religion by then.
What Happens At Saturnalia?
Saturnalia was a time of revelry, lavish banquets, and merriment. The festival began with a public animal sacrifice to Saturn at the Temple of Saturn in the Roman Forum. During the ceremony, the woolen cloth binding the god’s feet were loosened.
Afterwards, the party took to the streets where Romans embraced liberty, chariot racing, noise making, gambling and playing dice games for nuts instead of money, exchanging gifts, public drunkenness, and less strict dress codes. Many wore the pilleus, a cone-shaped freedman’s hat, and some dressed in a synthesis, a colorful dress meant for private dinners, instead of the toga.
Schools, courts, and businesses were closed, restrictions on free speech were lifted, no war was declared, and no public executions were held.
It was also a time when social roles were reversed or relaxed. Sometimes richer families paid rent for those who were less well off and Roman slaves were “freed” for the week. Some even “swapped” roles with their masters.
During the festival, Romans greeted each other with the phrase, “Io, Saturnalia!” which essentially means “Hurray, Saturnalia!”
The poet Lucian of Samosata (120-180 AD) describes the carnevale-like festivities in his poem “Saturnalia”:
“Secondly, during my week the serious is barred; no business allowed. Drinking and being drunk, noise and games and dice, appointing of kings and feasting of slaves, singing naked, clapping of tremulous hands, an occasional ducking of corked faces in icy water.“
What Customs Did the Romans Partake in Within Their Homes During the Holiday?
The Ancient Romans also decorated their homes for the holiday. Saturnalia decorations included wreaths and garlands, made from holly, fir, and ivy to symbolize good luck and friendship for the winter. Theses were also some of the important plants to Saturn, his grandson Faunus, and his wife Opalia.
Some households also had a Saturnalicius princeps or “Leader of Saturnalia / Lord of Misrule” for the week. This was determined by whomever got the slice of cake with a coin in it. This person’s job for the week was to make mischief. Make fun of guests. Wear wild outfits. Be generally obnoxious.
(In case you’re curious, there was a Greek holiday for Cronus, the Greek equivalent to Saturn, known as Kronia. It was held in the summer.)
Is Saturnalia Related to Christmas?
Saturnalia bears some connections to Christmas. These include the focus on merriment, the exchange of gifts, the use of holly and spruce for decorating, and the fact that it’s held near the winter solstice.
Gift giving was a large part of the holiday experience. In fact, it was customary not just to give gifts to those you knew, but also sometimes to those you passed in the street. Common gifts included candles and wax or terracotta figurines known as sigillaria. These were often in the shape of gods of goddesses.
But, Christmas is a fusion of many different ancient or pagan holidays. Many of the symbols including the tree and mistletoe come from the Norse celebrations of Yule, and there’s also the fact that the Ancient Egyptian god Horus was born on the winter solstice, which, due to some changes to the Roman Calendar, was celebrated for a time on December 25th.
How to Celebrate Saturnalia Today
Some reconstructionist pagans celebrate Saturnalia. Here are some ways to enjoy the festival in modern times.
1. Make an Altar for Saturn
Create an altar dedicated to Saturn, the Roman god of agriculture and liberation. Use black candles, holly, black crystals like onyx and a statue of him.
2. Have Fun
Saturnalia was a time for joyous relaxation and revelry. Take a break from routine and host a party where you and your friends or family can unwind with games and dancing.
3. Exchange Gifts
Small gifts were a hallmark of Saturnalia. If you want to be traditional, surprise friends and family with tokens of candles and small statues. The goal here is to spread goodwill and appreciation rather than focusing on materialism.
4. Swap Roles
Role-reversal was a unique part of Saturnalia. Modernize this by trying something new for a day—swap your routine with a partner or even take a break from your own usual role by stepping into someone else’s shoes.
5. Greet Each Other with “Io Saturnalia!”
Revive the traditional holiday greeting by saying “Io Saturnalia!” to friends and family. It’s an easy way to acknowledge the holiday and add a historical flair to your celebrations.
6. Host a Saturnalia Feast
Saturnalia was celebrated with grand feasts. Prepare a meal with family and friends inspired by ancient Roman favorites like figs, nuts, dates, roasted pork, winter vegetables, shaped cakes in forms of celestial bodies and animals, and mulled wine. The Romans traditionally drank Mulsum, a honey wine that you can make by following this recipe.
