Lucian’s rules for Saturnalian banquets, however, neatly erased these inequalities. During the rest of the year the seating arrangements, portions, and service offered at Roman feasts reflected differences in wealth and social rank among the guests. Chief among these rules was the decree that “all men shall be equal, slave and free, rich and poor, one with another.” This temporary equality was especially apparent at the banquets characteristic of this Roman holiday. EQUALITY Lucian, a second-century Greco-Roman writer, drew up a set of rules summarizing proper conduct during Saturnalia. Many of the customs associated with Saturnalia recalled the equality and abundance that characterized Saturn’s reign on earth. At the close of the first century A.D., however, the celebrations had stretched into a full week of fun ending around December 23. In the early years of the Roman Republic Saturnalia took place on December 17. They held his festival at the end of the autumn sowing season when cold weather arrived in earnest. The Romans honored Saturn as the patron of agriculture and of civilized life. In this era of joy and plenty, people lived together in harmony and shared equally in the earth’s bounty. He established the first laws and taught human beings agriculture. Others, however, think it evolved from saturo, which means “to fill” or “to satisfy.” According to Roman mythology, Saturn ruled over the kingdom of Latium, the region surrounding Rome, as its first king during its golden age. Some believe the word “sat-urn” comes from the Latin verb for “to sow,” whose root is sat. Scholars debate the meaning of the Roman god’s name. Others believe that he evolved from a minor Etruscan god of agriculture. In addi-tion, they assigned him a new, Roman history. SATURN AND HIS FESTIVAL Some scholars believe that the Romans borrowed Saturn from the Greeks by simply exchanging the deity’s Greek name, Kronos, for the Roman name, Saturn (for more on Kronos, see FATHER TIME). Nevertheless, some of the customs associated with Saturnalia later attached themselves to the celebration of Christmas (see also KALENDS). Early Christian writers disapproved of this rowdy Roman revelry. Many of the customs associated with Saturnalia reversed ordinary social rules and roles. Saturnalia The ancient Romans honored the god Saturn in a midwinter festival known as Saturnalia.
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