pattress plates - 6

 

wishing you a happy Saturnalia

   temple of Saturn, Rome - ruins of the temple stand at the foot of the capitoline hill in the western end of the forum Romanum

Io, Saturnalia!

Saturnalia was the best part of the Roman year - the poet Catullus describes Saturnalia as the best of days - it was a time of celebration, visits to friends, and gift-giving, particularly of wax candles, and earthenware figurines. the best part of the Saturnalia (for slaves) was the temporary reversal of roles - masters served meals to their slaves who were permitted the unaccustomed luxuries of leisure and gambling; clothing was relaxed and included the peaked woollen cap that symbolized the freed slave, which looks an awful lot like Santa Claus's red hat . a member of the family and slaves was appointed Saturnalicius princeps, roughly, Lord of Misrule.