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The birthday celebration is a tradition that has been celebrated for thousands of years. In Ancient Rome, to wish a “happy birthday” in Latin, phrases such as: Felix dies natalis or Felix sit natalis dies were used , among others.
about latin
Latin is a language that arose in Lazio or Latium , a region of present-day Italy, and spread through what would become Rome, where it became the official language. With the expansion of the Roman Empire, Latin spread to other parts of Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.
Latin became the language of a large number of books on rhetoric, poetry, tragedies, comedies and satires, where knowledge of the most important Roman writers and thinkers was embodied.
Latin literature can be classified into “primitive literature” and “classical literature.” The latter is divided, in turn, into the Golden Age and the Silver Age. The period of greatest splendor of Latin literature ended in the 2nd century AD It is believed that the use of Latin as a living language had already been decreasing from the 1st century AD In the following centuries, interest in Latin literature also gradually lost . During the Middle Ages, Latin continued to be used mainly as a liturgical and scientific language.
Vulgar Latin, also called Late Latin, was made up of different dialects that were spoken in the provinces of the Roman Empire. This spoken Latin gave rise to Romance languages, including Spanish, French, Galician, Friulian, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Catalan, Corsican, and many others.
Currently it is considered a dead language, that is, it does not have native speakers. However, it continues to be used in the Catholic religion, Law and science, specifically for the nomenclature of flora and fauna.
Birthday Traditions in Ancient Rome
The first references to birthday celebrations go back to Ancient Egypt and, later, to Ancient Greece. The Romans, who adopted many of the Greek traditions and rites, also celebrated it.
On the birthdays of the most important people, such as emperors, large banquets, public parades, gladiatorial combats and plays were held.
The rest of the population used to celebrate birthdays within the family, although the birthdays of close friends and patrons were also celebrated. Banquets and a round, moon-shaped cake were prepared, in reference to the goddess of the moon and the hunt, Diana. Candles were also used to make wishes and invitations were sent for loved ones to participate in the celebration. Birthday celebrations also included sacrifices and prayers to the jinn and gods who protected the family.
In addition, the honoree received a gift, the value of which varied according to his age. They could be jewelry, precious stones, clothing or other objects. The wealthiest families hired dancers and musicians to entertain their guests.
Unlike current birthdays, in Ancient Rome a person’s birthday was not usually celebrated on the specific date of his birth, but on the first day of the month in which he was born.
Birthdays were also the subject of different elegies, poems, and inscriptions. For example, the Roman writer and grammarian Censorinus wrote De Die Natali as a birthday present for his patron Quintus Cerelius.
With the arrival of Christianity, instead of birthdays, the celebration of the anniversaries of the saints became more important. In the fourth century AD. C., Pope Julius I decreed December 25 as Natalis solis invicti, the day of the birth of Jesus, and thus the celebration of Christmas, the most important birthday celebration of Christianity, arose.
the day of purification
Another Roman celebration associated with the birthday was the “day of purification” or Dies lustricus . This ritual was celebrated on the eighth day after the birth of the girls and on the ninth day of the birth of the boys. In a way, it was a way to celebrate the survival of newborns, since in Ancient Rome infant mortality was very high. This day also marked the entry of a new person into society.
On the day of purification, the newborn was given a name, which would define its destiny. Likewise, he received a medallion with a protection amulet.
4 Ways to Say “Happy Birthday” in Latin – wikiHow
In addition to the festivities, in Ancient Rome it was also customary to use different Latin phrases to wish the honoree a happy birthday. Some of them are:
- Felix dies natalis : This phrase means “happy birthday.” In Latin, felix means “happy” and dies natalis means “birthday.” Another variation of this phrase can be: felicem diem natalem .
- Dies natalis felix tibi sit : this expression means “happy birthday to you”. It is made up of dies natalis , which means “birthday”; felix , which means “happy”; tibi , which means “to you”; and sit , which translates as “let it be.” A variation of this phrase could be: felix sit natalis dies .
- Natalis laetus tibi : is a phrase meaning “happy birthday to you.”
- Beatum diem natalem : This phrase literally means “happy birthday,” and includes a synonym for felix , beatum , which means “happy.”
Other ways to say “happy birthday” in Latin
In addition to the expressions mentioned, there are other ways to wish “happy birthday” or send good wishes in Latin:
- Habeas felicitatem in die natus is : literally, it means “be happy on the day you were born”.
- Fortuna dies natalis : “lucky birthday.”
- Ad multos annos : literally means “to many years”, and is a phrase that translates as “may you live many years”.
Bibliography
- Marqués González, NF May the gods help us!: Religions, rites and superstitions of ancient Rome . (2021). Spain. Espasa.
- Espinos, J.; Vilar, M.; Masia, P.; Sánchez, D. This is how they lived in ancient Rome: A legacy that survives. (2010). Spain. Anaya Group.
- Vox. Essential Latin Dictionary. Latino-Spanish/ Spanish-Latino. (2016). Spain. Vox Editorial.
