Join us for our 8th Annual SATURNALIA gathering online for 2020!

Celebrate the end of term with virtual fun, games and prizes.

Wed Dec 2, 2020 at 5 pm

• Wear your finest ugly, festive sweater for a chance at winning a prize!
• Bring a special festive snack and drink.
• Try your luck with our Candy Guess.
• Make a Classics-related meme and share with the Brock Department of Classics Facebook page for a prize!
• Join us for a Latin reading.

We look forward to seeing you there, all are welcome!

** This event will take place via MS Teams**

Click here for how to get the MSTeams event link!

Contact Barb Chatwin if you have any questions!

bchatwin@brocku.ca

SATURNALIA

An Ancient Roman festival for Saturn in December just before the Winter solstice.

the festival of Saturn started with sacrifices to the god, but the highlight was the banqueting and drinking with family and friends.  they often shared small gifts, such as wax or clay figurines, but others exchanged gag gifts for a chuckle.

Saturnalia offered a carnival-like atmosphere in Rome as the traditional order to things was turned upside down.  Masters often waited on their slaves, gambling was permitted, and a “King of Saturnalia” could be declared to preside over general merrymaking, rather like a “Lord of Misrule”. The poet Catullus, who loved this festival, called it “the best of days.”

Merrymakers greeted each other with “Io Saturnalia’!