IO Saturnalia – Historical Re-enactment Festival

IO Saturnalia: When the EUR district rediscovers ancient Rome

IO Saturnalia – Historical Re-enactment Festival is the event where, every late December, the Gruppo Storico Romano brings the Saturnalia celebrations back to life for two days—the festival ancient Romans dedicated to the god Saturn. The event takes place outdoors on Via Renato Caccioppoli, in the heart of the EUR district within Rome's Ninth Municipality, with the patronage and support of the local government. It is a journey that blends education, historical reconstruction, and cultural entertainment, designed to help curious visitors, families, and history buffs discover Roman civilization.

What were the Saturnalia?

In ancient Rome, the Saturnalia were celebrated around the winter solstice, between December 17th and 23rd, as a sign of prosperity and abundance. These were days when the social order was overturned: banquets were held, gifts and greetings were exchanged, and for a short time, slaves could sit at their masters' tables. Many customs we still find in year-end celebrations today descend from this ancient festival. The event recreates this very atmosphere, featuring the re-enactment of the Saturnalia ritual every afternoon.

The program: gladiators, dances, and daily life

The festival alternates between performances and educational demonstrations, always accompanied by precise historical explanations. Key highlights include:

• Gladiator combat demonstrations, illustrating techniques and weaponry
• Ancient dances performed in period costume
• A military castrum with legionaries and praetorians, and a reconstruction of a Roman market
• Workshops and stations dedicated to ancient Roman cuisine, engineering and construction techniques, numismatics, ancient artifacts, and the themes of magic and superstition
• The re-enactment of the Saturnalia ritual, the centerpiece of the event

Activities for children and families

IO Saturnalia dedicates plenty of space to younger visitors, who can approach history through play and direct experience. There is a gladiator school for children and an ancient dance school, turning learning into an engaging and fun experience. Free admission makes the event an ideal destination for a family day out during the holidays.

The Gruppo Storico Romano

The event is organized by the Gruppo Storico Romano, a cultural association active since 1994 in promoting the history of ancient Rome through educational activities and philologically accurate reconstructions. The group also manages the famous Scuola Gladiatori Roma, one of the most well-known entities in Roman civilization re-enactment. Every spring, the same association organizes the Natale di Roma, the grand re-enactment of the city's founding.

Rome, the Ninth Municipality, and the Lazio region

The event is held in the EUR district, a modern business hub of the City of Rome in the Ninth Municipality, easily accessible by subway. Within the landscape of historical events in the Lazio region, IO Saturnalia represents one of the most evocative opportunities to relive the atmosphere of ancient Rome directly in the city that was once its capital.