Episode 193 - Celebrating Saturnalia: the history and traditions of the Roman midwinter festival

As Christmas festivities get into full swing, we’re delving into the history of the Roman midwinter festival Saturnalia to discover what it was, how it was observed and its role in influencing today’s traditions.

Guiding us through the history of this ancient pagan celebration is Curator for Hadrian’s Wall and the North East region, Dr Frances McIntosh.

To find out more about the history of Christmas, go to www.english-heritage.org.uk/christmas/the-history-of-christmas

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