![]() Hades (Pluto), Poseidon (Neptune), Demeter (Ceres), Hera (Juno), and Hestia (Vesta) were all devoured.īut by time the sixth child, Zeus (Jupiter) came around, Rhea got wise, and fed Kronos a baby-shaped rock wrapped in a blanket. So, each time Kronos' wife, Rhea, got pregnant and gave birth, Kronos would take the newborn child and eat it. It was prophesied to Kronos that he would have a child that would be even greater than he was, who would overthrow him. How does that work? The Roman Saturn was the same as the Greek Kronos, leader of the Titans and ruler over the golden age of man. Why Saturn? Well, for a number of reasons, but one of them is Saturn's association with the idea of rebirth. You have a big festival when things are down, to raise morale! So in 217 B.C., they had the first Saturnalia, which involved role-switching games between masters and slaves, widespread gambling, feasts, a special market, the giving of presents, and, of course, sacrifices performed at the Temple of Saturn in the Roman Forum. So what do you do, if you're a Roman leader? Roman morale was low, and there was much citizen unrest, as Hannibal's victories and conquests led to many switching allegiances. ![]() You've probably heard the story of Hannibal crossing the Alps with elephants (although, according to some sources, only one survived), and invading Italy, making it all the way to the city walls of Rome. Today is Christmas Day, but did you know that this holiday, in addition to being a solstice celebration, has its origins in the second Punic War? Beginning in 218 B.C., the Romans suffered a number of, well, fairly crushing defeats at the hands of Hannibal of Carthage. ![]() I have come not to make war on the Italians, but to aid the Italians against Rome.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |