Black Friday? Cyber Monday? Wind back 2000 years to Ancient Rome

Campus Martius Rome, AD 300 (reconstruction)

Shopping is a national obsession in many countries and December is the peak of the frenzy. In a way it’s a sign of the relative wealth of 21st century people, but in another it plays to the instincts of acquisition and somewhere in the lizard brain, survival. […]

12 Days of Christmas – includes Saturnalia!

Well, I’ve managed to sneak Saturnalia in to two Christmas online book celebrations. It’s when authors have a bit of fun.

First is a video and I’d bet you’ve never seen or heard a ‘Twelve Days of Christmas’ song quite like this! Well, it’s ‘Twelve Books of Christmas’ if we’re being accurate. Look out for […]

Saturnalia - serious Roman festival or free for all?

Saturnalia was THE most important Roman festival. Heavy on feasting, fun and gifts, it was originally celebrated in Ancient Rome for only a day around 17 December, but it was so popular it expanded into a week or even longer, despite Augustus’ efforts to reduce it to three days, and Caligula’s, to five.

Like […]