Saturnalia - Rome's Awesome Pagan Christmas DOCUMENTARY

Celebrate an awesome pagan Christmas with the Roman Saturnalia! The first 100 people to go to www.blinkist.com/invicta are going to get unlimited access for 1 week to try it out. You’ll also get 25% off if you want the full membership.
In this history documentary we cover a very special Roman Holiday, the Saturnalia. It was a hugely popular winter festival which dominated the ancient world and in many ways created the Christmas that we celebrate today!
We begin the episode with a discussion about the origins of Saturnalia as a harvest festival. In these early years it was celebrated whenever the last of the crops was brought with a special thanks being offered to the God of harvest, Saturn. The Romans did so at the temple of Saturn by offering a procession of bulls and hosting a grand feast. Over the years however the traditions would grow by importing Greek customs, pinning the date to December 17th and extending the holiday to a full week!
We then cover the history of Saturnalia at its full glory by recreating the experience. This begins with the traditional parade and feast on the first day after which all work was banned. The following days were filled with endless parties and feasts. These featured all kinds of familiar staples of Christmas like gift giving, hat wearing, and singing. However there were many more, wilder traditions as well. IO SATURNALIA!!!
We finally conclude with the rise of Christianity and the history of Christmas which coopted this popular pagan holiday. Stay tuned for more How They Did It episodes on the history of daily life in the past.
Bibliography and Suggested Reading:
Daily Life in the Roman City by Gregory Aldrete
Popular Culture in Ancient Rome by Jerry Toner
As the Romans Did by Jo-Ann Shelton
Festivals and Ceremonies of the Roman Republic by H. H. Scullard
The Roman Community at Table During the Principate by John Donahue
#Saturnalia
#Rome
#History

[@InvictaHistory]

Io Saturnalia!!!

[@papapok13]

Io Saturnalia!

[@papapok13]

Can you imagine though? Two thousand years from now on, new cultures might use Merry Christmas! as a meme!!

[@odd-ysseusdoesstuff6347]

Io Saturnalia!!!

[@pacosoentken303]

Io Saturnalia and Happy Festag!

[@samneibauer4241]

Io Saturnalia!

[@davtash69]

Mark Antony never could read a room.

[@enderw.1724]

Lol

[@The_Dudester]

Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears. I come not to praise Caeser but to bury him......"

[@sammgz0012]

Because he was too drunk to care

[@ryanrhodes5819]

Easy J-Lo. Is ARod any better

[@Toto-95]

Pretty sure the crown incident was kind of orchestrated by cesar to weigh if people would be in or out of crowning him. And if not "silly Marc Antony Lol of course i will refuse !" => hourra It's a win either way cause it's said Marc Antony " found the crown" yeah sure i find them on the floor everyday

[@davidchase6898]

The more adult aspects of Saturnalia were apparently taken up by New Years Eve.

[@diegonatan6301]

Well, and the NC-17 aspects weres taken by Carnival.

[@TimL1980]

... any prostitutes provided for new years in your local!?😂

[@hopelesslydull7588]

@@diegonatan6301 The cultural phenomenon of The Carnival, or Topsy Turvy, is something that occurred in a lot of cultures. It's a very fascinating sociological occurrence.

[@WhyDidntIInventYT]

I always thought of New Years as drunk xmas tbh

[@thomasleonardis711]

Xmas is for the kids. New years is for the adults. Anyone with kids knows it.

[@Vates104]

Excellent and well researched. Seneca writes, “Saturnalia used to be a week, now it’s an entire month.” Sound familiar?

[@briangronberg6507]

Really? Oh that’s priceless. I wonder what other historical parallels we could find: “Keep the Saturn in Saturnalia.” “Christianity and its cancel culture want to take away Saturnalia from usz

[@Musick79]

Saturnalia has as much in common with Christmas as Hanukkah. Hanukkah probably is closer being called the Festival of Lights, giving small gifts as candles, and books and small gambling games (pig knuckles like dice) trees were in the temple but not decorated. Homes had greenery in the home as I mentioned above. The only decorating of trees were the poor bare deciduous trees. It was never celebrated on the 25th. It usually was the weeks of the solstice. The Christmas tree came in before Luther in Germany. Christians did a passion play based on paradise lost- the only tree available in December was a evergreen and apples were placed on it, to set up a mock tree of life. Also, Donatists who had been Christians in Carthage were keeping 12/25. They moved to Italy and were keeping it before Elgalabus and Aurelian- who wanted Sol Invictus games moved (from October) to 12/25 specifically to annoy those Christian’s. This is documented research from the Vatican, on the reasons they went with 12/25. There is other documentation backing this up. The reason the Donatists celebrated 12/25 is because early Jewish believers had a tradition of holy men/prophets died on the date they were conceived. Christ was believed to have died 3/25, making his birth 12/25. Personally I believe it was 09/11/0003 when the constellation of Revelation 21 occurred per computer programs. It also is prophetic in relation with the fall feasts. The Spring feasts were fulfilled on those dates, so it seems the fall ones were fulfilled on those Holy days , and will be again. I enjoyed the history and cartoons! I spent a lot of time reading books too, from universities. Many cultures put greenery in the home during winter. It gets stinky when everyone spends more time inside. Evergreens are known to really freshen and cheer folks up.

[@madwalka6402]

Black history month was a week but then became a month. Abraham Lincoln birthday is February and he freeed the…

[@linky8899]

If it was one great big piss up, then we (the English) do it 365 days a year now!

[@miovicdina7706]

​@@Musick79What a great comment, thank you for all this information, I'm going to look it up myself now. Yeah, I definitely recognized Hanukkah in the description of Saturnalia, and your comment confirmed my thoughts.

[@maxnetirtimon4121]

ancient Persian had a somewhat similar thing called "Chelleh" in Zoroastrian tradition the longest and darkest night of the year was a particularly inauspicious day, and the practices of what is now known as "Shab-e Chelleh" were originally customs intended to protect people from evil during that long night.

[@Huy-G-Le]

Christmas: Regular holiday night. Saturnalia: University Graduation Night.

[@emperortransman]

I would describe it more as Spring Break

[@connorgolden4]

Last time I was this early Caesar was still crucifying Pirates.

[@gwynedd4023]

Lol

[@truenorthaffirmations7049]

It happens

[@rembrandtshadows]

yeah, but even he had to stop for Saturnalia . . .

[@simoneronconi2204]

I don't know if it's a coincidence but, just as the ancient romans wrapped saturn in wool and than unwrap it to simbolize his rebirth, in rome today it's tradition to do the same with a small statuine of christ. We prepare the crib (presepe in italian) the 8th of december and we wrap christ in whatever we have, and we unwrap it the 25th for christmas. It probably is just a coincidence, but it would be very cool if it was a tradition passed down from ancient times

[@patronofdragons]

Doubt that it's a coincidence. Christianity was good at adapting and absorbing traditions in order to make converting cultures easier.

[@PKyoshi]

No way thats coincidence.

[@nightrunner3701]

@@patronofdragons which... Should not have happened.

[@nightrunner3701]

Yup. Paganisum in catholic church.

[@nightrunner3701]

@@eliasartista2195 human experimentation, utter depravity in upper classes, herd culling, using advanced tech to control the populace... In short citizen, a bright and hopeful future for mankind. 😀👍😀👍😀👍

[@WorgenGrrl]

I can see why Seneca wanted a more subdued Holiday. The man was a Stoic after all.

[@evershumor1302]

He would probably like our version more. We took his advise on the diner.

[@incanusolorin2607]

@@evershumor1302 Maybe you did

[@Warsie]

If I remember stoicism in ancient Rome was more "you can't deal with the vagaries of life shit happens deal with it as best as you can" not "suppress emotions"

[@nvmtt1403]

Caesar: *takes the throne. No one: Caesar: *takes the crown of saturnalia. *Everyone disliked that.

[@hebl47]

You can mess with their country, but you do not mess with their parties!

[@marsultor6131]

8:52 only True Roman bread for true romans! - this advertising was sponsored by the Capitoline Guild of Millers.

[@SlayerRiley]

That town crier made Rome Rome in the series for me :D

[@marsultor6131]

@@SlayerRiley loved these little sequences with him

[@jacquesmesrine3244]

Hear hear! He has spoken!

[@filippoferri1193]

Prostitutes and mimics will not be tollerated

[@papapok13]

IIIIIIIIIIIOOOOOOOOOOO SATURNALIAAAAAAAA!!!!!

[@gregoriotauro4469]

Dude I'm trying to read.

[@danielduvernay3207]

My time machine is almost ready, who wants to come with me?

[@thhseeking]

I hope it navigates better than the TARDIS :P Or you could end up in the middle of the Spanish Inquisition :P Bet you didn't expect that :D

[@monicawallace7771]

I do, I do!!! Lmk when you are ready cuz I definitely want to go!! I'm in Kennewick, Washington State!!

[@jr3753]

I got donuts 🍩

[@diemenschen8339]

On Nero reign please.

[@Samuraid77]

@@thhseeking no one ever expects the Spanish inquisition.

[@Sihengli]

Of note, Roman Saturn though influenced by hellenism, was a Roman God, not a Greek one. He is identified with cronus, not a copy of cronus.

[@andreascovano7742]

THIS. People legit believe greeks and romans were the same. As an italian, i heavily disagree.

[@histguy101]

@@andreascovano7742 They kind of have shared origins, and the Patricians claimed to be descended from Greeks, and believed their language evolved from Greek.

[@andreascovano7742]

@@histguy101 Yeah, it's because attaching yourself to the east was a traditional trope to gain legitimacy and myth. It was a common trope. The etruscans were probably the most natives of the people in the peninsula even predating the Indo europeans. But they still claimed descent from the lydians. They do not have shared origins. The geography is completely different, the language is completely different, the history is completely different. The greeks considered the Epirotes Barbarians. The romans probably were uknown tribes to them.

[@kyarden7971]

@@histguy101 Patricians claimed descend either from the Trojans or from gods of the Roman Pantheon. For examples, both the Julii and the Claudii claimed descend from Venus through Aeneas. This is one of the reasons why Octavian commissioned Virgil to write “Aeneid”. I have yet to see a Roman patrician family of Italic origin to claim Greek one.

[@MrZekinhaluiz]

@@andreascovano7742 modern italians are just german...

[@johnstajduhar9617]

Things like learning that the Romans did Secret Santa are why I like this channel

[@carolsaia7401]

Our family does Secret Santa for extended family, otherwise too expensive.

[@carolynlyfordsullivan1377]

The Romans did not do secret Santa. Santa is Saint Nicolas. A Catholic priest that gave money to the poor .

[@Somewhat-Evil]

Some doubt the Romans adopted the mid-winter celebration from the Greeks, rather they shared the same ancient root from the Proto Indo-European or Aryan migration period. Yule in the Germanic offshoot, Saturnalia in Rome, Haloa in Greece, and Lohri in northern India.

[@cyberpotato63]

It's a complex situation. While there does seem to be an Indo-European substrate of similar gods and religious practices, there is also fairly continuous trading contact between Greek and Latin cultures from an early date. Extensive trade contact goes all the way back to the Greek Archaic period in the 8th and 7th centuries BC when Greek traders, raiders, and colonists came to the Italian peninsula. The Etruscans and Latins adapted the Greek alphabet not long after the Greeks had borrowed and transformed it from the Phoenician alphabet. There was even evidence of earlier trading contact between the late bronze age Helene civilization of the Aegean and the cultures of the Italian peninsula.

[@SomasAcademy]

Small note, "Proto Indo-European" and "Aryan" should not be used as synonyms. The Aryans were/are one specific branch of the Indo-European family, one of the handful of Asian branches. Because Aryan texts were at one point the oldest known examples of an Indo-European language, "Aryan" was treated as a collective term for a while, but this usage is no longer considered accurate (and additionally has some unfortunate baggage tied to it, with the whole "Aryan master race" idea adopted by White Supremacists).

[@overlord5068]

@@SomasAcademy Aryan = Germanic Aryan = 100% germanic D-N-A and Nordic face structure

[@overlord5068]

@@SomasAcademy "Indo European" is fantasy. Get a brain

[@SomasAcademy]

@@overlord5068 You say after declaring your belief in the literal fantasies of braindead imperialists from a century ago.

[@user-gg3nm4xm6r]

Winter Festivals were universal, but so were the indoeuropean Gods. Saturn was not really taken from the Greeks as much as 'recognised' as their own corresponding ancestral deity. There seems to be a basic set of indoeuropean deities common to all indoeuropean cultures, probably derived from the same original mythical explanation of the world.

[@MrChileno13]

Nope

[@michaelkatz715]

I really loved this ! Most excellent. Very well done & informative.

[@thehasmoneanhistorian]

People are always saying happy Holidays nowadays. Just say saturnalia for Jupiter's sake. #waronsaturnalia

[@davidkelly4210]

*Saturn's sake.

[@thhseeking]

By Toutatis and Belenos I agree!

[@tracefleemangarcia8816]

@alex coolt There's nothing wrong with being a Jew-loving pagan

[@thehasmoneanhistorian]

@Xiuh Dude, I was making a sarcastic joke. Do you even know what jokes are?

[@davidblair9877]

@alex coolt as a Jew-friendly agnostic, I take offense to this. #HappyHanukkah #IoSatvrnalia #HappyChristmas

[@michamalinowski8015]

Love the artwork and animations! Some high quality stuff.

[@Batman_the_bad_man]

This reminds me of the so called "Karneval" in Cologne, Germany. During several days, people wear silly costumes, party, dance and drink on the streets. There is also a "Dreigestirn", a festival triumvirate consisting of people filling three roles, the peasent, the maiden (usually a guy dressed like a woman) and the king that visit some of the festivities. Your description of Saturnalia heavily reminded me of that.

[@lordblenkinsopp1537]

I just celebrated this with my Latin class on Monday, the actual Solstice. Io Saturnalia!

[@aenorist2431]

*Nero enters the chat* How many free hookers did you have though?

[@LaPtaVerdad]

@@aenorist2431 JJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJA i died xD

[@TempleofBrendaSong]

IO SATVRNALIA

[@MilitaryHistory1]

IO SATURNALIA !!

[@MilitaryHistory1]

@@aenorist2431 commodus's reply: a few hundred, and with me in the arena of corse.

[@jimmeltonbradley1497]

Here in the England there was, between the departure of the Romans and the arrival of Christmas, Yuletide. We still have a cake called the Yule Log today, and the festival's celebration ran in parallel with Christmas celebrations for many centuries. I'm a Saturnalia man myself.

[@Wotsitorlabart]

Not correct. There is very little evidence for a 'Yule' festival either in England or the Scandinavian countries. The word 'Yule' was the Danish colloquial word for the festival of the Nativity and was introduced into England during their eleventh century occupation of the country. It was taken up by the native English and later the Scots until 'Christmas' eventually supplanted it. But the word Yule continued to be used as a dialect word for Christmas in the northern counties and in Scotland. Yule logs, yule candles, yule babies etc are products of this dialect word during the Christian era.

[@todradmaker4297]

@@Wotsitorlabart The "Yule log" was an actual log that they would burn each night of the 12 day festival marking the end of the year. This was an ancient Germanic custom that predates Christmas in that region.

[@Wotsitorlabart]

@@todradmaker4297 Yet another 'Yuletide' myth. First recorded in Britain in by Robert Herrick in the 1620's/30's in Devon - and he called it a 'Christmas log'. Also known as 'Christmas Brand', 'Christmas Block', 'The Christmas Old Wife'. 'The Festival Block'. Earliest reference anywhere is from Germany in 1184 and appears to have spread from there. Strong suggestion that it came to Britain via Flanders (with its strong trading links) where it was very popular. So, as usual, nothing to do with pagans nor is it pre-Christian.

[@carolsaia7401]

I made on Saturday. But it turned out more like a Yule Plank...

[@carolsaia7401]

@@Wotsitorlabart I would think anything firey and warm would be part of a dark winter celebration...

[@loganlozada2185]

shouting out from the philippines. thank for your presentation. i always incorporate most of your topic in my class discussions. i wish you would feature some of the roman holidays that you've mentioned in this presentation like lufercalia. Godbless and your loved ones this holidays and all incoming holidays! Merry Christmas!

[@suspendednovember]

In my little town (actually a huge village rather than a real town) we still have a Roman pagan festivity mixed with a Christian background, in the usual syncretism of alot of regions around Europe. It takes place in March and it's supposed to drive away the spirits and ghosts of winter, casually it occurs few days after the assassination of Julius Caesar, precisely on the 19th of March. Red wine, tall pyres of burning woods all night long, different dancers and folk music for every single pyre and typical mountain rural food. Everything starts with the arson of huge grotesque puppets. Anyway my "hometown" is located south of Rome, among the mountains and last but not least, great informative video!

[@beren1898]

I see. Well I will leave some links here in case to clear misconception myth about Christmas this video address: kzbin.info/www/bejne/inabnYmOhNiCd8U kzbin.info/www/bejne/q5jbe3WYZdGDjrM kzbin.info/www/bejne/oZ6vqquqftKYj68 kzbin.info/www/bejne/fXfLeaCgbJySqMk

[@craigds3745]

It sounds a lot like Fallas in Valencia, Spain, which also ends on the 19th.

[@Shervin86]

In Iran (or other Persian driven cultures) we celebrate the Winter Solstice as the longest night of the year Yalda Night (shab'e Yalda / شب یلدا) with a feast from sunset till sunrise... fruits, mainly pomegranates, nuts, drinks (wine mostly, or grape juice for the kiddies), variety of stews, tea (for the sunrise or those who don't drink), music and LOTS of dancing and laughs. Good times!

[@Whysoserious648]

You guys celebrate it now??

[@Shervin86]

@@Whysoserious648 yes every year.

[@Whysoserious648]

@@Shervin86 wow thats really cool ! also thanks for replying after a year lol

[@NicCageCDXX]

if only Emperor Julian had just put his armor on, we might have still had this

[@Floral_Green]

Gonna make me tear up. He’ll always be missed.

[@joaofranciscobento00]

Saturnalia= The hangover movie party in the daylight.

[@daloin87061]

I agree

[@yaruqadishi8326]

False

[@Calatriste54]

Ahhh.. the best time to attack Rome..

[@justevil100]

True. Free prostitutes would really distract the soliders

[@thhseeking]

Just like the best time to attack Australia is on Melbourne Cup day XD

[@Hentaicho]

Attacking during the biggest celebration for one of the biggest Gods would almost certainly be a big no no, considering how superstitious the ancient world was.

[@user-cc8nc5iu1s]

GERMANIA APPROVES.

[@TheAngelobarker]

Lol sure if you REALLY wanna piss off rome. Rome pissed off was terrifying. Straight up lose a quarter of their population in a battle and then demand carthage surrender.

[@cynicisminc]

The crown offer to Caesar was at Lupercalia, not Saturnalia.

[@mayorgeneralramirez1997]

What is Lupercalia?

[@cynicisminc]

@@mayorgeneralramirez1997 it's a fertility festival held in February

[@inquisitorwalmarius6650]

@@mayorgeneralramirez1997 in the name of the warmaster that is, so a heretical holiday

[@SavingHistory]

@@mayorgeneralramirez1997 It was a traditional festival which may have dated back to Romulus and Remus. Two priests, one from the Quintilian family and one from the Fabii were chosen. Certain animals would be sacrificed in a cave beneath the Palatine, and the skins of the animals would be cut into thongs. After smearing the priests with the animal blood, the priests, either naked or in loin cloths had to run three laps anticlockwise around the Forum. They would whip passers-by with the thongs, which were called Februa, and it was believed that women lashed with the thongs would be fertile for the year. So many women tried to place themselves in the paths of the running priests. In 44 BC, Julius Caesar added a 3rd house to the college of Lupercalia, the Julian family, and Mark Antony was the first to represent the Julians in the run - that was the same year he offered Caesar the crown three times 👑. This festival was held in February, almost exactly a month before Caesar’s assassination

[@mayorgeneralramirez1997]

@@SavingHistory Thank you! Thourouhgly iluminating!

[@zawwin1846]

Imagine if we had access to a time machine. Totally would party with the Romans.

[@jrodriguez1374]

To be honest, im not sure i'd be able to keep up with their partying, ha

[@theespartano7203]

@@jrodriguez1374 I’ll pass out after an hour of nonstop drinking.

[@arminiusofgermania]

Getting down n' gnasty with the germanic tribes.

[@Pitbull00000]

@@theespartano7203 ur weak then , because they drunk only wine xd

[@jrodriguez1374]

@@Pitbull00000 sounds like you havent tried hard enough. I suggest a Lambrusco. Its delicious, red, and it'll creep up until it hits you like a shovel. Io Saturnalia, stranger!

[@charlesq7866]

Maaaaaaaaan, this sounds like so much fun. I was envious during the whole video, just thinking "I want to go party with the Romans now." It all sounds so great! 🥳

[@AnthroTsuneon]

Ohhey, Tasting History recently covered it with a recipe from the holiday. At this point it might be fun to have some sort of crossover/shared history telling on an event where food might be involved, though that's just me enjoying both channels. Invicta covers the whole with more detail and Tasting History likes to share more specific little events/moments with these things

[@deirdregibbons5609]

I think that would be an excellent idea.

[@AnthroTsuneon]

@@deirdregibbons5609 Actually, doing an episode on what armies eat and all that like for the Roman army one might go great with Tasting History

[@deirdregibbons5609]

@@AnthroTsuneon I was thinking exactly the same thing! I know Invicta did an episode on what Roman armies ate and cooked while on campaign, but there are definitely other aspects to explore. For example: what armies ate at the forts and also how the armies influenced the cuisine in their colonies... and vice versa. I could see a lovely dialogue between Invicta and Max as they walk through recipe a and discuss the history behind it. Also, there are possibilities beyond Rome, as Invicta has been exploring the Phoenicians, Aztecs and Old Norse. Plus they've been looking at famous military bands through history whose food traditions could be discussed.

[@carolsaia7401]

Love Tasting History!

[@casparvoncampenhausen5249]

Romans were the definition of work hard, party hard

[@nobody6546]

Incredible Video! Thanks, well explained & detailed. ( explains a lot on My Family’s Crazy And Wild Holidays! )

[@alejandrosakai1744]

To date, it has been one of my favorite videos on your channel because the artwork by Bev Johnson is very beautiful! Great job!

[@julianhermanubis6800]

It's very funny to think of a Stoic like Seneca trying to work with drunken revelry going on loudly all around them and maybe even hookers getting handed out to random recipients.

[@petercumpson6867]

Seneca prided himself on his ability to work in the midst of noise. He rented rooms above a bath house. He was a bit of a prig.

[@MsStepje]

Nice video, only one remark: Marcus Antonius didn't give the 'crown' or diadem to Caesar during Saturnalia. He gave it during Lupercalia, another festival which took place in February each year. (which would also be a great topic to make a video on!)

[@gawaineross7607]

This is very well done, as is the whole series.

[@silla.1902]

The city of Rome should bring back this festivity.

[@okulusanomali9716]

here you go: Italy formally recognises Roman polytheist organisation wildhunt.org/2020/12/italy-formally-recognizes-religio-romana-organization.html

[@cegesh1459]

@@okulusanomali9716 The holiday. A week party.

[@antinoofromgreece6560]

I agree with you. The city should bring back this amazing festival and Sol Invictus too.

[@silla.1902]

@@antinoofromgreece6560 They should! Obviously, without its original religious meaning, but for folkloric purposes.

[@jamesholcombe435]

It is its called christmas

[@ironwolf2244]

Great video! Nice to see some Greco-Roman Pagan traditions. Could you do a video on Jöl?

[@bumblebeeeoptimus]

"Winter celebrations are popular around the world with Christmas being the dominant" People who live in southern hemisphere: "Am I a joke to you?"

[@MrJm323]

So, do Australians, South Africans, and Argentines, etc. have a holiday to mark the midwinter? A Yule Austral ??

[@bumblebeeeoptimus]

@@MrJm323 I don't know. I'm from Brazil

[@MrChileno13]

In the southern hemisphere we celebrate christmas.

[@bumblebeeeoptimus]

@@MrChileno13 but It's celebrated in summer, not in winter, so It's not a winter celebration. I,m aftaid you didn't get my comment..

[@MulToyVerse]

Being that Saturnalia turns the social order upside down, Rome would have King's at this time, though in other times they would kill kings, or at least before the emperors.

[@barriereid9244]

April Fools here in medieval Britain...same thing.

[@rzrx1337]

The ancients knew how to party, I would celebrate holidays if this were still a thing.

[@danielmaurer1572]

IT'S A TRAP!!

[@kenmicheal4916]

Still is if you make it,family holidays are for losers..

[@eid8fkebe7f27ejdjdjduyhsvqhwu2]

@alex coolt Just that hedonism doesn't mean what you think it does...

[@ehsn]

In some parts of Europe (at the very least in Spain and Italy) I'd say that it just got split between Christmas and the Carnivals, the weeks long partying part are on the latter one.

[@eid8fkebe7f27ejdjdjduyhsvqhwu2]

@alex coolt Open Wikipedia for a start.

[@jonwarland272]

Invicta, you really bring history down to earth and make it relatable. Saturnalia looks like fun. Imagine if our billionaires put on a free feast for the whole city nowdays. It would be crazy.

[@hi23nutzer21]

As a German I can say that this sounds really like Karneval. Glad that we kept some parts of it😊

[@federicoboi9362]

Barbar!

[@kevingange6639]

Excellent presentation! Thank you!

[@menaseven9093]

Roman Saturnalia was a combination of the Christmas holiday of December and the carnival holiday of February. I like the rich and poor changing roles of Saturnalia and the fool king.

[@beren1898]

You maybe want to watch this and reconsider that view: kzbin.info/www/bejne/inabnYmOhNiCd8U kzbin.info/www/bejne/q5jbe3WYZdGDjrM kzbin.info/www/bejne/oZ6vqquqftKYj68 kzbin.info/www/bejne/fXfLeaCgbJySqMk

[@marktwaine9344]

we already have the king part ....

[@jimyost2585]

The following is my reply to a KZbin video titled "The Truth About Christmas - The Start of the Tribulation." The video was posted on KZbin on Sunday December 11, 2022. Here's my reply: The Canaanites were celebrating the winter solstice ritual in honor of Baal 5000 years ago. In each household they had a tree (phallus symbol), a wreath (vagina symbol), and they exchanged gifts. Many centuries later the ancient Romans were celebrating the ritual in honor of Saturn and doing it the same way (tree, wreaths, gifts). Their name for the ritual was 'Saturnalia.' In around 300 A.D. the Catholic Church priestclass renamed the ritual 'Christmas.' They did it as an evangelistic ploy to attract people away from Saturn worship. The majority of the Roman people were Saturn worshipers. The temple of Saturn was the biggest building in ancient Rome. The temple priests were very wealthy and the Catholic priestclass wanted to get in on the cash cow. The spirit behind Christmas is Saturn (Old Testament Baal). The Apostle John called him 'The Spirit of Antichrist" (counterfeit Christ who seeks to mimic the Holy Spirit). He is the principality of idolatry, plus he is the spirit of top-down-control (seeks to manifest through men-at-the-top, e.g. leaders of nations, governments, religions, corporations, military, academia, medicine, media, finance, etc.). The ancient Babylonians and Assyrians called him Bel. The ancient Greeks called him Cronos. The ancient Hindus called him Indra. Same spirit going by different names in different cultures and in different time periods. It was very important to him to implement the winter solstice ritual as he understood that when a person celebrates (honors) the ritual it gives him automatic rights of access to their human spirit (conscience, intuition, and the ability to commune with the Holy Spirit) and to have ongoing influence on their spiritual life (the kingdom of darkness is all about control). Jesus was born on September 11, 3 B.C. by the Julian Calendar. Bethlehem is 2500 ft. above sea level so that in December there would've been no grass for the sheep to eat (see Luke 2:8-20 in the King James Version). Jesus had nothing to do with Christmas (never did and never will). You can verify this information online, but it is becoming increasingly difficult to find information that goes against the system narrative (propaganda/brainwash).

[@pysq8]

💯

[@MrPjw5]

Sources? Not saying you’re wrong, but the burden of proof lies on people who make the claims.

[@jimyost2585]

@@MrPjw5 ~ Actually, if you look at the history of the ritual, the proof is there, and has been for 3500 years. In other words, the thing speaks for itself.

[@ParfumetetVie]

my most favorite comment! thank you for sharing the truth.

[@robby7997]

in the netherlands we still have this exact feast (only in the souther province which was the only part controlled by rome). from things like the king, 7 day feasting, role reversal and dressing up

[@AlphaOmegaGreece]

Awesome video as always congratulations.Greetings from ancient Hellas!!

[@Ethan-pk8by]

this was cool! i enjoyed it

[@Mel1o2]

Hello, I am a Latin and Greek teacher in Spain. I just discovered your videos and I love them. Is there any possibility of getting the subtitles in Spanish? Great job! Thanks a lot! :)

[@InVinoVeratas]

Wow, its really nice that the Romans thought of their rural communities, most modern societies don’t think about the rural communities, and leave them to the wayside.

[@erynn9968]

Well rural communities supported their whole lives back then. While today, food and clothes grow in supermarkets.

[@hugoc4606]

What's a great subject treated here ! I love your channel from France

[@chizel6719]

Wow 😳, now the lyrics to the song 12 Days of Christmas makes sense. Thanks for the info bud. Well done ✅

[@magnvss]

It’s ironic that the whole video keeps calling it the “pagan Christmas” while, in fact, Christmas is the “Christian Saturnalia”.

[@hagosyilma2729]

no

[@Bagginsess]

No that's yule tide. Saturnalia was the time of sin and reverally.

[@Dimitri88888888]

@@hagosyilma2729 YES

[@coreybrowning9659]

@@Dimitri88888888 no

[@faraoofegypt]

@@Bagginsess Ah no actually it was stolen from the egyptians ...

[@Joyride37]

Religion for Breakfast has a good coinciding video about Saturnalia, and how it actually may have a served as a way to reinforce the social hierarchy under the guise of doing the opposite. Which was a super interesting take.

[@SlayerRiley]

Interesting video, love the animations :)

[@alejandrosakai1744]

This is one of my favorite videos!

[@Limozo]

Happy Saturnalia everyone!

[@gwynedd4023]

Your first

[@Limozo]

@@gwynedd4023 true, but felt no need to point that out 🤪

[@TheFrank19023]

More of a Festivus guy, just saying

[@TempleofBrendaSong]

Io SATVRNALIA

[@brokenbridge6316]

Seems like a really fun holiday. One I wouldn't mind indulging in.

[@adrianbundy3249]

Well, we might want to change some things. I could imagine PETA might be really upset about the cows. But otherwise, yes :)

[@witchypoo7353]

@@adrianbundy3249 lol

[@adrianbundy3249]

@@witchypoo7353 The more I think of it, the more I say we should do it anyway. Just have a bunch of fresh burgers on the market too. And seeing PETA's reaction would be worth the price for admission even as just the cherry on top.

[@witchypoo7353]

@@adrianbundy3249 lmao. PETA sucks so hard. I swear they’re a cult, but I can’t prove it on the bite model because idk how to use it

[@hankwilliams150]

I REALLY like the animation of these videos.

[@Bogey1022]

Great video, Vic

[@gups4963]

Given Cronus's eating habits I'd want him happy as well

[@aleksapetrovic6519]

This reminds me of that time when Iznogud tried to become Caliph on a day when all roles are shifted so that slave is a master and master is a slave.

[@Get_FREE_ROBUX_655]

Catholic and Islamic = similar

[@aleksapetrovic6519]

@@Get_FREE_ROBUX_655 ?

[@jkl5712]

Great presentation. Do you have any videos covering the other major festivals of Rome? And any on the religion and practices of the Roman Republic? Thanks!

[@ravenkamali]

Loved the video.

[@danesovic7585]

We need Saturnalia revived and the Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus rebuilt!

[@lemaro1977]

15:30 I really like the art. The girls are so cute!

[@somedandy7694]

9:55 - love the Tarantella playing there. Dance! Dance like a spider bit you!

[@Somedayillmakeahistoryvideo]

Good to see "the storm before the storm" by Mike Duncan in the background of your blinkest ad.

[@g3heathen209]

The red cap, I wonder if it is the inspiration for the red cap worn by French revolutionaries. Being a cap of liberty so to speak where the slave becomes the master.

[@MazeMe]

This is correct

[@charles1964]

@G3 Heathen Yes,it's called The Phrygian Cap. The Romans called it The Pileus....

[@Venezolano410]

@@charles1964 The Phrygian cap isn't of Roman origin. It's from the ancient city-state of Phrygia was located in what is now modern day Turkey. I don't think his animation accurately depicts the cap the Romans actually wore.

[@charles1964]

@@Venezolano410 Correct,it was a style worn in Anatolia. The Romans wore the Pileus but there were symbolic of Libertas,as depicted on the famous Brutus "Eid March" coins.

[@inquisitorwalmarius6650]

@@livefreefungi378 ishtar? astarte? i only hit warhammer things when i search those 2

[@Violent2aShadow]

Well, I know who I am praying for at the Christmas dinner prayer....

[@jacobglover3868]

as a recent revert to Islam I personally don't celebrate Christmas but I will not stop my wife and children by not celebrating it , I do buy gifts for my children and my wife I have explained to my wife what the view points about celebrating Christmas and why we should take a hard look at what the origin of it is. may Allah make it easy for us to come to the understanding of what Christmas is all about.

[@alienvampirebusterswhoyoug8257]

You don’t need any validation for any religious belief do what you want is the law of nature

[@King-LXVI]

Ameen. Brother you need to give her dawah in a polite and courteous way and bring her to the fold of Islam so that she may enter Jannah. May Allah guide your family to the truth.

[@skydivingcomrade1648]

Well presented.

[@marloyorkrodriguez9975]

I kind of wanted to also see this on HBO’s Rome

[@jadanielnegrete]

2:05 in Spanish we call a holiday “día feriado” which comes from that phrase

[@jackt3498]

We really should have taken inspiration from this when deciding what are Christmas traditions would be.... would be a lot more fun

[@joshpotter9261]

They actully did, or haven't you been payig attention.

[@beren1898]

You maybe want to watch this and reconsider that view: kzbin.info/www/bejne/inabnYmOhNiCd8U kzbin.info/www/bejne/q5jbe3WYZdGDjrM kzbin.info/www/bejne/oZ6vqquqftKYj68 kzbin.info/www/bejne/fXfLeaCgbJySqMk

[@liveseldiesel2628]

sounds so cool

[@JulianApostate]

I'm fairly certain that Marc Anthony offered the crown to Caesar on Lupercalia, not Saturnalia. Apart from that, great video! Io Saturnalia!

[@Johnny_Tambourine]

Happy Festivus everyone!

[@ultimatebishoujo29]

Happy Festivus!!!

[@josephwarra5043]

Happy Festivus!

[@floridaboy.californiaman.649]

A plus on the research , The festival Saturnalia sounds fun !.

[@mitchelldubeau7006]

10/10 I would love to bring back these wild pagan parties

[@carolsaia7401]

Christian to the 25, then Saturnalia to New years!

[@jollygoodyo]

Hoping this Christmas season will fill you and your family with peace, love and joy! Merry Christmas everyone!

[@AndrewTheMandrew531]

Merry Christmas

[@jollygoodyo]

@@AndrewTheMandrew531 Thank you

[@jollygoodyo]

@Rodney James Sure Rod. Happy holidays to you then.

[@AndrewTheMandrew531]

@Rodney James Buddy, you don’t even know the lies and bile you speak. Saturnalia occurred from the 15th to the 17th of December, however, the baby Jesus was conceived within the blessed virgin on Passover. The Roman saturnalia never coincided with our Christmas, because Christmas took place nine months after Passover.

[@fiddlesticks7245]

@Rodney James Imagine thinking that people exchanging gifts, praising God, and thanking Christ for blessing us with his coming is false worship because it happens in a similar timespan as a heathen festival. My homie my brother in God pull the plank, and stick, out of your ass

[@luvellecummingsiii9438]

I find this history fascinating

[@gregstephens2339]

Awesome!

[@Zoey--]

December 17th... so you're telling me my birthday falls on the most badass ancient celebration date? Christianity why did you have to ruin this for me :D

[@shadown5757]

It would be great if Christmas was more like Saturnalia 😎👍

[@erynn9968]

Would be great if Christmas remains what it actually is - a religious holiday for those who care. And all people would receive something universal and uniting, instead of debates and confusion.

[@carolsaia7401]

Make it so!

[@fyang1429]

10:08 This feels so real for me who works through Christmas as a grad student

[@wardafournello]

Kronia,the celebration was held in ancient Greece in honor of Titan Kronos and Titaness Rhea. it took place on the night of the 12th day of Hecatombaion,(at the beginning of summer). On the day of the feast the slaves had a holiday, they could sit at the same table with their masters and in general they had more freedom, in memory of the Golden Age of the human race, when there was no slavery and heavy work. From the adoption of the celebration by the Romans as Saturnalia, in honor of the Roman Saturn ,Kronia became a noisy festival and days of debauchery.

[@brycevo]

Io Saturnalia! Can't we bring this back?

[@norastorm99]

Ofc!!!

[@sirBrouwer]

In all but name it does still exist. Like it was written down. The carnival festivities are just that. A week long drinking, parting, watching massive parades and just having fun. There is even a random person that will be appointed to be prince Carnival of there town/village for that week.

[@Ideo7Z]

Mardi Gras and Carnevale...

[@sirBrouwer]

the Saturnalia sounds exactly like carnival inclusing the pick of a person to be prince Carnival of that city/village. or at least the Dutch version of carnival.

[@NickVenture1]

Nice to listen to this video

[@PalofGrrr]

Well done sir I have learned

[@quintustheophilus9550]

Merry Saturna-I mean, Christmas :D

[@AlexanderMarchesaine]

I still celebrate Saturnalia

[@valarauka6611]

awesome

[@truenorthaffirmations7049]

Always good