Wednesday, December 21, 2005
This Day in Ancient History
Early on, that is, beginning in about 216 BC, the first day of winter was the start of the one to four day festival called the Saturnalia. Later, in the late republic and Empire period, the festival lasted seven days. It sounds pretty familiar-- rejoicing, songs, parties, feasts, and gifts, but there was one thing we no longer have. For one day masters and slaves traded places (to a degree). I think there's a distant echo of that in some office parties today.
# posted by Roger Fraley @ 8:00 AM 
