7/4/2023 0 Comments Winter solstice saturnalia![]() ![]() I’ve written previously here and here about how the Romans celebrated Saturnalia around this time of year, honoring the head of their pantheon of Titans. 21, the Solstice, it would be appropriate to celebrate the Saturnalia on the Solstice the seven days of celebration would then end Dec. Since the sun now enters Capricorn on Dec. In London, for example, on the Winter Solstice, the Sun sets at 3:53 pm, and the “day” is only 7 hours and 50 mins long. 17, the Julian date of the Saturnalia, was the first day of Capricornus, marking the coldest season. ![]() It looks like the Sun is “standing still” from the perspective of someone standing on the Earth until, following the Winter Solstice, the days grow longer and the nights shorter. In the Northern Hemisphere, the Sun appears at its lowest point in the sky, and its noontime elevation seems to be the same for several days before and after the solstice. Celebrated between December 17 and December 23, Saturnalia’s traditions were steeped in drinking, debauchery and public sex. Around the time of the winter solstice each year, they celebrated the festival of Saturnalia. Long before Christmas as we know it, a Roman festival known as Saturnalia was the main holiday on the late December calendar. Saturnalia is an ancient Roman festival and holiday in honour of the god Saturn, held on 17 December of the Julian calendar and later expanded with festivities through to 23 December. However, as the Earth continues its orbit, the hemisphere angled closest to the sun changes, and the seasons are reversed. Saturnalia, Yule and solar festivals: Solstice rituals date back to Pagan festivals. It lasted a variable number of days from 3-7 or more, depending on how successful the emperor was at legislating. ![]() The farther north one is from the Equator, the more pronounced this is in Winter. The Saturnalia was a major holiday for the ancient Romans, with drinking, gift-giving, bonfires, candles, role reversals for slaves and masters. The Winter Solstice is the shortest day of sunlight as the Sun is at its lowest arc in the sky, at least in the Northern Hemisphere. This means that the world revolves like a tilted spinning top. Solstice comes from the Latin “ solstitium,” meaning “Sun, standing still.” This year it occurs on December 21 at 21:48 GMT (or UTC) and marks the first day of the Winter season in the Northern Hemisphere from an astronomical perspective.Įarth enjoys different seasons because the planet is tilted 23 degrees and 27 minutes off the perpendicular to the plane of orbit. Saturday: Day of Saturn Saturnalian banquets were held from as far back as around 217 BCE. Ancient astronomically aligned instrument In Ancient Rome the Winter Solstice festival Saturnalia began on December 17 and lasted for seven days. ![]()
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