Created to mark the anniversary of the Temple of Saturn in the Roman Forum, the Roman festival of Saturnalia was dedicated to the god Saturn who was believed to have ruled over a Golden Age of agricultural abundance. The festival saw the suspension of usual social norms as the people of Rome engaged in lively celebrations.
Saturnalia originated as a three-day festival that began when the wool that was normally bound around the feet of the statue of Saturn was removed. The first day also saw a public banquet, which was preceded by a sacrifice at the Temple of Saturn itself. With the formal elements of the festival complete, the subsequent days – which ranged from three to seven days during the Roman period – were given over to the private celebrations for which the festival is perhaps best known.
The usual social hierarchy was reversed and, for the duration of the festival, slaves were treated to banquets while activities that were usually discouraged became commonplace. Romans from all social spheres were known to engage in gambling, alongside excessive eating and drinking, and all overseen by a chaotic King of the Saturnalia who was chosen at random.
The end of Saturnalia saw people exchanging small gifts made of wax or other simple materials. Known as the Sigillaria, this part of the festival saw the more crazed revelry begin to subside ahead of the return to normal social behaviour. Nevertheless, the writer Pliny the Younger recorded in one of his many letters how he preferred to avoid the festival altogether by moving to some of the more secluded rooms of his villa while the rest of the household celebrated.
