Welcome to the Golden Age
Everyone loves a holiday. The Ancient Romans were no exception and Saturnalia was the most popular holiday of the Roman year. The joyous celebration, described by the ancient Roman poet, Catullus, as 'the best of days', was no quick affair but a succession of exuberant festivals lasting for over a week.
The holiday of Saturnalia was celebrated between 17th December and 3rd January, a period of semi-lawlessness where dispensing of punishments suspended and courts closed, business stopped and all wars ceased.
The holiday of Saturnalia was celebrated between 17th December and 3rd January, a period of semi-lawlessness where dispensing of punishments suspended and courts closed, business stopped and all wars ceased.
In honor of Saturn, Titan God of the Harvest and Time. He is the Lord of the Titans and the Father of the Original Olympians. Saturn taught humans the art of agriculture and was dedicated to welcoming the germinating impulse of Nature. He had a mythical reign for a time, an Utopian era known as the Golden Age. Peace, happiness, and innocence abounded. All men were equal.
But the Golden Age ended when Saturn was once again forced out by Jupiter.
In his temple in Rome, the feet of Saturn were bound in chains all year long, as a symbol of his defeat. The chains were removed during Saturnalia, the celebration of the return of the Golden Age.
Families gathered together to share the spiritual renewal in the symbolic rebirth of the Divine and to welcome a new year. People shared feasts with friends, overindulged themselves, gave gifts, and decorated their homes with festive greenery. During the last day of this festival, it was traditional for masters to change places with their household slaves. Every Saturnalia, a muster of our active citizens listed in reverse rank order is issued to the troops. The lowest ranking members of each respective Legion act as Legion Commanders for the day, promoted temporarily to Acting Tribune unless Senatorial status entitles them to more.
Comments
Post a Comment