New Year's Traditions in Ancient and Renaissance Rome
For centuries we've been ushering out the old and welcoming the new 🥂🍾
Buon Anno (which, incidentally, make sure you pronounce BOTH n’s or it’s not nearly so nice)! Happy New Year! I’m so thrilled you are taking time out of 2024 to read this, or maybe you’re starting out your 2025 with me instead. I’m forever grateful for all of the readers who are coming along for the ride of my wild mind in this newsletter.
We’re all gearing up toward the big end of the year tomorrow, a tradition that humans have been doing for literally centuries. In ancient Rome, the new year was initially celebrated on March 15th, coinciding with the festival of Anna Perenna, the goddess of the new year. The celebration of the new year at the vernal equinox highlighted the connection between the changing seasons and the concept of new beginnings.
Later, in 153 BCE, the new year was moved to January 1st, and with Julius Caesar's calendar reform in 46 BCE, this date was officially established as the start of the year. January 1st was chosen to honor Janus, the god of beginnings, whose two faces allowed him to look back at the past and forward to the future. On New Year's Day, Romans would offer sacrifices to Janus in hopes of gaining good fortune for the year ahead.
New Year's Day in ancient Rome was a time for feasting, gift-giving, and merriment. People would exchange small tokens of affection, such as honey, dates, figs, or twigs, symbolizing prosperity and goodwill for the coming year. They believed that starting the year happily would ensure a happy year overall. Grand feasts were organized, and the streets were filled with music, singing, and joyful celebrations. Romans would also make promises to be better to each other in the new year, a practice that foreshadows modern New Year's resolutions (and honestly sounds like a better option in these current times).
In Late Antiquity, the Kalends of January became a major festival, surpassing Saturnalia in popular appeal. Traditionally tied to Roman authority, the Kalends marked the inauguration of new magistrates in Rome and the renewal of loyalty oaths to the emperor by the army, who received annual monetary gifts in return. Across the Mediterranean, cities celebrated with circus races and processions organized by local officials. The festivities were lively, featuring feasting, drinking, singing, dancing, and revelry. Rituals aimed at ensuring prosperity for the year ahead—such as laying out food to secure abundance and exchanging gifts called strenae or "good luck presents"—were popular but condemned by religious officials as superstitious. These gifts ranged from silvered fruit to gold coins and were exchanged alongside greetings (vota) during door-to-door visits in both cities and rural areas. Costumed revelers added to the spectacle, painting their faces or cross-dressing—a practice denounced by religious authorities as unnatural. In the Latin West, dressing as animals, particularly stags or cattle, drew special criticism from the church.
To ward off misfortune, ancient traditions called for tossing out three pots of water on New Year's Eve, symbolizing a fresh start and the cleansing of past troubles. This evolved into throwing out your old pots and pans, which thankfully for all the pedestrians below, has changed to leaving the windows open at midnight instead.
The custom of wearing red undergarments also finds its roots in this era, as red has long been considered a color of good fortune. During New Year celebrations, women dressed in red, a shade symbolizing courage, passion, vitality, and fertility. Today, Italians continue to embrace the tradition of wearing red undergarments on New Year's Eve, believing it brings happiness, and prosperity. The color red is thought to ward off the malocchio—the Evil Eye—and is tied to fertility and good fortune. One thing to note: the garments must be gifted rather than self-purchased or you won’t reap any of the benefits. In keeping with tradition, the undergarments are worn only on New Year's Eve and are discarded once the festivities conclude, ensuring the year begins with renewed luck and vitality.
Renaissance Roman New Year's Traditions
While many ancient Roman traditions faded over time, some continued in different forms during the Renaissance period. New Year's Eve in Renaissance Rome was still a time for celebration.
Food played a significant role in Renaissance Roman New Year's celebrations. A traditional dish was (and still is) cotechino e lenticchie – a type of pork sausage served with lentils. The dish combines indulgence and symbolism, promising prosperity for the year ahead. Cotechino, made from pork rind and spiced minced meat, was historically a way to preserve less desirable cuts through winter. Lentils, revered since ancient Roman times for their nourishment and association with plenty, became a natural part of celebratory meals. On New Year’s Eve, this pairing symbolizes wealth (lentils) and progress (pork), making it a centerpiece of the cenone di Capodanno feast, where it still holds an important cultural place today.
During the Renaissance and into modern times, the Christmas season stretched across nearly two weeks, beginning on December 25th and concluding on January 6th with the celebration of Epiphany, a day rich in pageantry and tradition. Mystery plays—reenactments of Biblical stories—entertained townspeople, with the Cavalcade of the Magi as the highlight. During this grand procession, the Wise Men paraded through the streets bearing gifts for the Christ child. For years, members of the powerful Medici family played the Magi, seizing the opportunity to display their wealth and political influence. Comparing themselves to the revered Magi, the Medici cleverly reinforced their image as both affluent and virtuous leaders.
Epiphany was also the main day for gift-giving. For children, the beloved figure of the Befana took center stage. Befana’s tale begins with the journey of the Three Wise Men to find the newborn Jesus. Along the way, the Magi stopped at the home of an elderly woman to ask for directions and invited her to join them. She declined, saying she had too much housework to do. After they left, Befana regretted her decision and decided to follow them, but she was unable to find them or the Christ child.
Since then, the legend says, Befana travels every year on the eve of Epiphany, visiting children’s homes in search of the baby Jesus. She leaves gifts and sweets for the well-behaved children and lumps of coal for those who have been naughty, in the hope of spreading joy and forgiveness.
This extended holiday makes for a wonderful time of year to visit Italy as all the holiday decorations and festivities are still going on until the 6th of January. It’s my favorite time of year to go to Rome because it’s so much fun to see the decorations and the tourists aren’t nearly so overwhelming.
What’s Bringing Me Joy
This is the best way to use AI, in my humble opinion.
YES! My favorite historian, Philomena Cunk, is back!
This clip of Dali from his art film "Salvador Dali A Soft Self Portrait.”
He’s being clever with the film when special effects weren’t what they are today. This clearly runs backwards after he has placed the foil on the sculpture’s face!
This wonderful clip of Adriano Celentano dancing in the 1980s movie Qua la mano, which I have not seen but now I want to. The description of the movie: Two episodes: A Roman coachman fulfills the dream of his life and meets the Pope. A priest crazy about dancing wins the first prize in a contest.
Happy New Year!
As we step into 2025, I want to take a moment to wish everyone a year filled with joy, peace, loads of books (including a new one from me!), and happy experiences. May this year bring you the inspiration and resilience to achieve everything you aspire to. 🌟Thank you for being part of my journey, and here's to the adventures, stories, and connections that await us all in the months ahead. Cheers 🥂🍾 to a bright and fulfilling New Year! Buon Anno!
Thanks for Joining Me
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Wonderful essay! Thanks for sharing. Are you also a professor besides being an author?
Was just speaking with a group of friends last night and wondering where the lentil tradition in Italy came from. So interesting to know it dates all the way back to Ancient Rome!