Which festival is marked by role reversal between slaves and masters?

The festival associated with the role reversal between slaves and masters is Saturnalia. This ancient Roman festival, held in December in honor of the god Saturn, involved a period of revelry where social norms were upended. During Saturnalia, it was customary for slaves to be temporarily freed from their duties, and in many cases, they would be served by their masters during the festivities, effectively reversing the traditional roles of authority and servitude. This theme of equality and liberation extended to celebrations filled with feasting, gift-giving, and merriment, allowing both slaves and masters to partake in the celebrations as equals, even if just for a short time.

The other festivals mentioned do not feature this role reversal. Vinalia Rustica was a wine festival that honored the goddess Venus and focused on agriculture rather than social hierarchy. Robigalia was a festival to protect crops from disease, particularly wheat, and did not involve any social role changes. Terminalia celebrated the boundary markers of land and included rituals involving land and property, with no emphasis on the reversal of social roles. Thus, Saturnalia stands out distinctly for its emphasis on social freedom and the subversion of social order during the festival.