Editing Saturnalia (section)

==Historical context==
Saturnalia underwent a major reform in 217 BC, after the [[Battle of Lake Trasimene]], when the Romans suffered one of their most crushing defeats by [[Carthage]] during the [[Second Punic War]]. Until that time, they had celebrated the holiday according to Roman custom ''([[mos maiorum|more Romano]])''. It was after a consultation of the [[Sibylline Books]] that they adopted "Greek rite", introducing sacrifices carried out in the Greek manner, the public banquet, and the continual shouts of ''io Saturnalia'' that became characteristic of the celebration.<ref>[[Livy]] 22.1.20; [[Macrobius]], ''Saturnalia'' 1.10.18 (on the shout); {{harvnb|Palmer|1997|pages=63–64}}</ref> [[Cato the Elder]] (234–149 BC) remembered a time before the so-called "Greek" elements had been added to the Roman Saturnalia.<ref>{{harvnb|Palmer|1997|page=64}}, citing the implications of Cato, frg. 77 ''ORF<sup>4</sup>''.</ref>

It was not unusual for the Romans to offer cult ''([[Glossary of ancient Roman religion#cultus|cultus]])'' to the deities of other nations in the hope of redirecting their favour (see ''[[evocatio]]''), and the Second Punic War in particular created pressures on Roman society that led to a number of religious innovations and reforms.<ref>{{harvnb|Palmer|1997|page=''passim''}} See also the [[Cybele#Roman Cybele|importation of Cybele to Rome]] during this time.</ref> [[Robert E.A. Palmer]] has argued that the introduction of new rites at this time was in part an effort to appease [[Baal Hammon|Ba'al Hammon]], the [[Punic religion|Carthaginian god]] who was regarded as the counterpart of the Roman Saturn and Greek [[Cronus]].<ref>{{harvnb|Palmer|1997|page=64}} For other scholars who have held this view, including those who precede Palmer, see {{harvnb|Versnel|1992|pages=141–142}}, especially note 32.</ref> The table service that masters offered their slaves thus would have extended to Carthaginian or African war captives.{{sfn|Palmer|1997|pages=63–64}}