Saturnalia Aquincensia Nova Romana
Pannonia Provincia of the Res Publica Nova Romana has now at the third time participated in and co-organized the Saturnalia Festival hed by he Aquincum Museum of Budapest, Hungary. The event took place on on a.d. III Id. Dec. ‡P. Ullerio C. Equitio cos. ‡ MMDCCLXIV a.u.c..
In this event Pannonian citizens of Nova Roa came together upon the call of governor legatus pro praetore Cn. Lentulus, from all over the provincia, mainy from Budapest, Sátoraljaújhely and Szolnok, and a few people from other different cities, to celebrate together the Saturnalia, the most popular Roman festivala mong Nova Romans. They celebrated Saturn with a sacrifice, enjoyed each others' company, ate, chatted and laughed, while keeping in mind that all citizens of Nova Roma are sipiriually together with them. This was emphasized by the presence of pontifex C. Lentulus, who, as a member of the chief priestly college overseeing the Nova Roman religion, conducted the sacrifice in the name of the res publica, that entire Nova Roman citizenry, for all Nova Romans everywhere and for the entire republic.
More about Aquincum: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquincum
At this official Nova Roman even, there were present (besides pontifex and governor Cn. Lentulus) two other notabilities of the provincia, quaestor candidatus Sp. Porcus Gemma, legatus of the governor, and C. Villius Vulso, praefectus appointed by the governor to control regio Rostallonensis of Pannonia - and several other Pannonian citizens and associate members from the "Gladius" Reenactor Association.
Opening of the Saturnalia Festivities
The next picture is a historical reenactment of a confarreatio. Cn. Lentulus in the role of pontifex and two members of the "Gladius" Reenactor Association as bride and groom. T. Popillia Laenas as assistant holds the sacral text of the ceremony reenactment:
Real sacrifice to all Gods and to Concordia for Nova Roma in Aquincum
On the next pictures you can see a real (not reenactment) sacrifice conducted in the ruins of Aquincum, before the ruins of an ancient Roman temple. The ceremony began with a pompa, led by Governor Cn. Lentulus, consular quaestor, sacerdos Pannoniae and sacerdos Concordiae, followed by the Legio XXI Rapax and the crowd of visitors and spectators. The first picture shows the pompa:
