What is Saturnalia?

Instructions: Click on the link and go to the website. Find the kinds of information indicated in the box marked with "?". After you have gathered all of your information, follow the instructions at the bottom before handing in your work. Your work is due at the end of the period.

Links	?
Saturnalia	What is Saturnalia? What are its traditional dates? What/who is celebrated during the festival? Which deities are honored? What do they represent? What were some common practices during the festival?
Saturnalia Connections	What/who is celebrated during the festival? Which deities are honored? What do they represent? List the practices common at Saturnalis? What are the legacies of Saturnalia in the world today--in other words, what kinds of things are done today that are linked back to Saturnalia?
Saturnalia Principiatus	What is the Saturnalia Principiatus? What does that practice seem to suggest about some of the themes of Saturnalia? Find the quotation from Statius and write it down. Has his statement been found true or false? Explain.
Human Kindness	Read this description of the Saturnalia. It claims that a principal theme of the festival was "human kindness". List all of the practices found during Saturnalia, and next to each indicate how that is an expression of human kindness.
Sound Familiar?	Here is one more description of the practices of the Romans during Saturnalia. Read through it and see if you find any new information. In particular, which of these practices sound similar to modern holiday practices? List and give a brief explanation.
Finally: After gathering the information from the sites above, sit and list the kinds of things that you think we could include at a modern Saturnalia festival/party that would be in keeping with the ancient tradition. What images, symbols, activities and themes would you want to be included and emphasized. Be as specific and concrete as possible.