How much easier it would have been, without any effort, for a boy to have brought me five pounds of silver!” (Martial. I reckon the presents, which carried by eight huge Syrians, were hardly worth thirty coins in total.
And also came little Syrian figs and glazed prunes, and a jar heavy with the weight of Libyan figs. “At Saturnalia, Umber, you sent me all the presents that the five days had brought you: a dozen three-page writing-tablets and seven toothpicks these were accompanied by a sponge, a napkin, a cup, four quarts of beans and Picenian olives, and a black flask of Spanish grape juice. The 1 st-century poet Martial teased his friend who had “re-gifted” him with all his Saturnalia presents, which were heavy, but cheap: Just like today, choosing the right present, and knowing how much to spend, was a tricky business. Even the Roman emperors joined in by giving gifts at Saturnalia (e.g. This was a day of gift-giving, exchanging expensive presents and small mementos. On 23 rd December, at the end of Saturnalia, the Roman celebrated Sigillaria.
Since holly berries are one of the few splashes of colour in the winter, it’s not surprising that they’ve been an unbroken fixture in winter festivals for thousands of years. Holly had a special significance as the sacred plant of Saturn, and small sprigs were given to friends as tokens. Many people think of holly and ivy as Christmas greenery, but they were both popular decorations for Saturnalia, used in wreaths and garlands. It was a cross between a sound of celebration and surprise. Romans used it both as a greeting and as a reply, in the same way that we might use “Merry Christmas”, but much louder. The traditional greeting at this time of year was “ io, Saturnalia!” (pronounced “Eee-yo” or “Yo”). Here it is, sung by some of our friends from the Oxford Classics Faculty. In our new version of this familiar carol, we’ve been thinking about what Saturnalia must have been like for a Roman slave, and would he would have been looking forward to at this festive time of year. It was a time for communal worship, present-giving, over-eating, decorations, silly hats, party games, and goodwill towards men, especially those divided by the strict Roman rules governing social class. The festival of Saturnalia began on the 17 th December and, at its longest, ran for a whole week until 23 rd December. As the shortest day of the year drew near, the Romans crossed their fingers for a kind winter and people from all walks of life made a break in their usual routine to honour the harvest god, Saturn.
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