He asks for the ‘obvious things-wealth, a lot of gold, to be lord of an estate, to own many slaves, clothing, bright-coloured and soft, silver, ivory, and everything else that is worth something’, but Saturn responds that the request is beyond him and that he should try his luck with Zeus instead. Lucian’s Saturnalia contains a dialogue between Saturn and a priest, in which the latter gives an extensive list of his New Year’s wishes. Romans would make prayers and sacrifices to Saturn in the hope of good fortune for the coming year. While we make our New Year’s resolutions, Romans were lazier and looked to the gods to grant their wishes. This date was then confirmed by the Julian Calendar in 46 BC, introduced by Julius Caesar. Until 153 BC the Roman New Year began on 1st March, however thereafter it was moved forward to 1st January. Kevin Butcher, Professor of Roman history at the University of Warwick, says that “the festivities appear to have extended to everyone, including slaves, and there is the idea of a world turned upside down, with masters allowing servants freedoms, or even dining with them, and perhaps even waiting on them”. This winter festival originated as a farmers’ festival dedicated to Saturn, the Roman god of agriculture and the harvest.īeginning on the 17th December and lasting between three and seven days, Saturnalia was when work and business stopped (Lucian, Saturnalia, 13) – and was the most popular holiday of the year with the poet Catullus calling it ‘the best of days’. Roman celebrations were part of a religious festival called Saturnalia. Over 2000 years ago Romans were celebrating the New Year in much in the same way that we do today with parties, drinking, gifting and, of course, with hopes for the year ahead.
A press release from the University of Warwick, with a nice photo too (and references!):
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