Nova Roma (Latin for 'New Rome') is an international Roman cultural revivalist and reconstructionist
organization
An organization or organisation (Commonwealth English; see spelling differences), is an entity—such as a company, an institution, or an association—comprising one or more people and having a particular purpose.
The word is derived from ...
created in 1998, later incorporated in
Maine
Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and north ...
as a
non-profit organization
A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...
with an educational and spiritual mission. Nova Roma is dedicated to promote "the restoration of
classical Roman religion,
culture
Culture () is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities, and habits of the individuals in these groups.Tyl ...
, and
virtues
Virtue ( la, virtus) is moral excellence. A virtue is a trait or quality that is deemed to be morally good and thus is valued as a foundation of principle and good moral being. In other words, it is a behavior that shows high moral standard ...
" and "shared Roman ideals".
[Dixon, Suzanne: ''Cornelia, Mother of the Gracchi'', page 64. Routledge, 2007][Trinkle, D. A./Merriman, S. A: ''The history highway: a 21st century guide to Internet resources'', p. 464. M.E. Sharpe, 2006]
Notable for providing extensive resources about
Roman culture
The culture of ancient Rome existed throughout the almost 1200-year history of the civilization of Ancient Rome. The term refers to the culture of the Roman Republic, later the Roman Empire, which at its peak covered an area from present-day Lo ...
,
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
, ancient
Roman costuming and
reenactment guidelines,
Nova Roma aims to be more than a community of reenactors or history study group. Based on the reconstructed Roman ceremonies and spiritual aspects of the activities of Nova Roma, Strimska, Davy,
Adler,
Gallagher-Ashcraft, and Chryssides refer to it as a Roman reconstructionist community. Because it has a structure based on the ancient
Roman Republic
The Roman Republic ( la, Res publica Romana ) was a form of government of Rome and the era of the classical Roman civilization when it was run through public representation of the Roman people. Beginning with the overthrow of the Roman Kin ...
, with a
senate
A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
,
magistrates
The term magistrate is used in a variety of systems of governments and laws to refer to a civilian officer who administers the law. In ancient Rome, a '' magistratus'' was one of the highest ranking government officers, and possessed both judici ...
and laws enacted by vote of the
comitia
The legislative assemblies of the Roman Republic were political institutions in the ancient Roman Republic. According to the contemporary historian Polybius, it was the people (and thus the assemblies) who had the final say regarding the election ...
, and with its own coinage,
[American Numismatic Association: ''The Numismatist'', page 19. American Numismatic Association, 2003] and because the Nova Roma Wiki states that the group self-identifies as a "sovereign nation", some outside observers
classify it as a
micronation
A micronation is a political entity whose members claim that they belong to an independent nation or sovereign state, but which lacks legal recognition by world governments or major international organizations. Micronations are classified se ...
.
Revival of Roman identity and traditions
The most important goal of Nova Roma is to provide a living community for Roman reenactors, scholars and fans of ancient Rome, and to all varieties of people who self-identify as Romans in the present day modern world, and to revive those traditions through which an authentic Roman identity can be experienced and expressed. Since one of the most authentic and traditional forms of cultural self-expression for Romans was the celebration of various festivals, rites and ceremonies, Nova Roma has adopted
[Adler, Margot: ''Drawing down the moon: witches, Druids, goddess-worshipers, and other pagans in America'', p. 549. Penguin Books, 2006] the
ancient Roman religion
Religion in ancient Rome consisted of varying imperial and provincial religious practices, which were followed both by the people of Rome as well as those who were brought under its rule.
The Romans thought of themselves as highly religious, ...
as its "
state religion
A state religion (also called religious state or official religion) is a religion or creed officially endorsed by a sovereign state. A state with an official religion (also known as confessional state), while not secular state, secular, is not n ...
," while also guaranteeing the
freedom of religion
Freedom of religion or religious liberty is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or community, in public or private, to manifest religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship, and observance. It also includes the freedom ...
of its citizens. The British scholar
Michael York
Michael York OBE (born Michael Hugh Johnson; 27 March 1942) is an English film, television and stage actor. After performing on-stage with the Royal National Theatre, he had a breakthrough in films by playing Tybalt in Franco Zeffirelli's ''Ro ...
noted that the traditional Roman way of thinking,
Roman philosophy
Ancient Roman philosophy was heavily influenced by the ancient Greeks and the schools of Hellenistic philosophy; however, unique developments in philosophical schools of thought occurred during the Roman period as well. Interest in philosophy was ...
, provides the moral code for Nova Romans.
Both the domestic traditions and the so-called ''sacra publica'' are reconstructed by Nova Roma as authentically as possible,
[Davy, Barbara Jane: ''Introduction to Pagan Studies,'' pp. 156, 163, 233. Rowman Altamira, 2007] including the restoration of the ancient priestly ''
collegia
A (plural ), or college, was any association in ancient Rome that acted as a legal entity. Following the passage of the ''Lex Julia'' during the reign of Julius Caesar as Consul and Dictator of the Roman Republic (49–44 BC), and their ...
'', like the offices of
pontifex
A pontiff (from Latin ''pontifex'') was, in Roman antiquity, a member of the most illustrious of the colleges of priests of the Roman religion, the College of Pontiffs."Pontifex". "Oxford English Dictionary", March 2007 The term "pontiff" was late ...
and
flamen
A (plural ''flamens'' or ''flamines'') was a priest of the ancient Roman religion who was assigned to one of eighteen deities with official cults during the Roman Republic. The most important of these were the three (or "major priests"), who ser ...
, and the honoring of the full cycle of
Roman holidays throughout the year. According to the
Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance
The Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance (OCRT) is a group in Kingston, Ontario that is dedicated to the promotion of religious tolerance through their website, ReligiousTolerance.org.
History of the group and its website
Bruce A. Robins ...
, at the time of
Christmas
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus, Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by country, around t ...
, Nova Romans celebrate the Roman holiday
Saturnalia
Saturnalia is an ancient Roman festival and holiday in honour of the god Saturn, held on 17 December of the Julian calendar and later expanded with festivities through to 23 December. The holiday was celebrated with a sacrifice at the Temple ...
.
In 2006,
Margot Adler
Margot Susanna Adler (April 16, 1946 – July 28, 2014) was an American author, journalist, lecturer, Wiccan priestess, and New York correspondent for National Public Radio (NPR).
Early life
Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, Adler grew up mostly ...
noted the organization's plan to restore a
Magna Mater
Cybele ( ; Phrygian: ''Matar Kubileya/Kubeleya'' "Kubileya/Kubeleya Mother", perhaps "Mountain Mother"; Lydian ''Kuvava''; el, Κυβέλη ''Kybele'', ''Kybebe'', ''Kybelis'') is an Anatolian mother goddess; she may have a possible foreru ...
shrine in Rome.
Live events, conventions and reenactments
![Floralia in Aquincum](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c6/Floralia_in_Aquincum.JPG)
Nova Roma holds its own local and international conventions and regularly participates with its affiliated reenactment groups in such history festivals and public events as the Festival of Ancient Heritage in
Svishtov
Svishtov ( bg, Свищов ) is a town in northern Bulgaria, located in Veliko Tarnovo Province on the right bank of the Danube river opposite the Romanian town of Zimnicea. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Svishtov Municipalit ...
,
Bulgaria
Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedon ...
, the Roman Market Day in
Wells, Maine
Wells is a resort town in York County, Maine, United States. Founded in 1643, it is the third-oldest town in Maine. The population was 11,314 at the 2020 census. Wells Beach is a popular summer destination.
History
The Abenaki Indians calle ...
's Harbor Park, and ''Forum Fulvii'' in
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
, ''Ludi Savarienses'' Historical Carnival, the ''Aquincum Floralia'' Spring Festival in
Budapest
Budapest (, ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Hungary. It is the ninth-largest city in the European Union by population within city limits and the second-largest city on the Danube river; the city has an estimated population ...
,
Hungary
Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia a ...
, or the ''Natale di Roma'' (the historical festival of the birthday of Rome) in
Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus (legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
,
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
, where Nova Roma celebrated its twentieth anniversary.
Cultural competitions and games
Among the cultural activities of Nova Roma, competitions and games associated with various Roman festivals have an important place. They can include a wide range of various programs from humorous online games up to serious art-competitions like the ''Certamen Petronianum'', a literary contest of historical novel writing first held in 2005, where the jury was composed of notables including
Colleen McCullough
Colleen Margaretta McCullough (; married name Robinson, previously Ion-Robinson; 1 June 193729 January 2015) was an Australian author known for her novels, her most well-known being ''The Thorn Birds'' and ''The Ladies of Missalonghi''.
Life
...
, author of many Roman-themed best-selling novels, and
T. P. Wiseman
Timothy Peter Wiseman (born 3 February 1940), who usually publishes as T. P. Wiseman and is named as Peter Wiseman in other sources, is a classical scholar and professor emeritus of the University of Exeter. He has published numerous books ...
, university professor of Roman history and former vice-president of the
British Academy
The British Academy is the United Kingdom's national academy for the humanities and the social sciences.
It was established in 1902 and received its royal charter in the same year. It is now a fellowship of more than 1,000 leading scholars span ...
, or the second edition of the same competition, where the jury was
Jo Walton
Jo Walton (born 1964) is a Welsh and Canadian fantasy and science fiction writer and poet. She is best known for the fantasy novel ''Among Others'', which won the Hugo Award, Hugo and Nebula Awards in 2012, and ''Tooth and Claw (novel), Tooth ...
, World Fantasy Award-winning novelist and poet. Kristoffer From was the winner of the first ''Certamen Petronianum''.
Coinage and sponsorship of Roman cultural projects
Nova Roma has minted two coins with the denomination of ''
sestertius
The ''sestertius'' (plural ''sestertii''), or sesterce (plural sesterces), was an Ancient Rome, ancient Roman Roman currency, coin. During the Roman Republic it was a small, silver coin issued only on rare occasions. During the Roman Empire it w ...
,'' one in bronze, issued in 2000, and another in brass, dating from 2005. Each bears the letters
SPQR
SPQR, an abbreviation for (; en, "The Roman Senate and People"; or more freely "The Senate and People of Rome"), is an emblematic abbreviated phrase referring to the government of the ancient Roman Republic. It appears on Roman currency, at ...
and has a diameter of 32mm, a thickness of 1.8 mm. These sesterces are convertible into 50
US cents, if sent back to the treasury of the organization, thus they can be used in place of real currency between members of the community.
Regarding the monetary policies of Nova Roma, as not-for-profit organization its treasury is dedicated to sponsor various Roman cultural projects, including experimental archaeology initiatives, reenactment events, or building Roman temple reconstructions, altars or other reconstructed accessories or any items from the ancient Roman period.
Global chapters and subsidiaries
The international governance of Nova Roma permits the Nova Roman communities of each country to create their national subdivision of Nova Roma, called ''provincia'', and to form their own not-for-profit or incorporated organizations, established under the respective legislation of their local country.
This enables better local recognition and management, as well as provides the means for legal and insurance coverage, such as that offered by the Australasian Living History Federation (ALHF).
Historical contexts
Revival of things Roman and their co-option for symbolic importance have a long history. ''Nova Roma'' (in Latin, literally "New Rome") in its deliberate revival of grandiose remnants of the past thus parallels and echoes other New Romes such as:
* the
Byzantine
The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...
or Eastern Roman Empire as a surviving embodiment of
Roman ideals based on
Constantinople
la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه
, alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya (Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis (" ...
(sometimes chartacterised as
"New Rome" or the "Second Rome") after the decline of the Roman imperium in the West.
* the doctrine of the
Third Rome
The continuation, succession and revival of the Roman Empire is a running theme of the history of Europe and the Mediterranean Basin. It reflects the lasting memories of power and prestige associated with the Roman Empire itself.
Several politi ...
as justification for imperial Muscovite and Russian ambitions from the 15th century onwards.
* Mussolini's attempted construction of a
Mediterranean
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the e ...
-based
New Roman Empire
The Italian colonial empire ( it, Impero coloniale italiano), known as the Italian Empire (''Impero Italiano'') between 1936 and 1943, began in Africa in the 19th century and comprised the colonies, protectorates, concessions and dependencie ...
(compare
Imperial Italy) in the early 20th century.
[
]
See also
* ''
Mos maiorum
The ''mos maiorum'' (; "ancestral custom" or "way of the ancestors," plural ''mores'', cf. English "mores"; ''maiorum'' is the genitive plural of "greater" or "elder") is the unwritten code from which the ancient Romans derived their social norms ...
''
* ''
Romanitas
*
Classical reenactment
*
Roman polytheistic reconstructionism
Revivals of the ancient Roman polytheistic religion have occurred in several forms in modern times. Seeking to revive traditional Roman cults and mores, they have been known under various names including cultus deorum Romanorum (worship of the R ...
*
Pan-Latinism
Pan-Latinism is an ideology that promotes the unification of the Romance-speaking peoples. Pan-Latinism first arose in prominence in France particularly from the influence of Michel Chevalier (1806–1879) who contrasted the "Latin" peoples of the ...
Notes
References
American Religious Identification Survey," by The Graduate Center of the City University of New York (pdf)
* Adler, Margot. 2006. Drawing down the Moon, Penguin Books.
* Caporaso, Giovanni. 2006. Cambiare Identitá.: É possibile, ecco le Prove, Offshore World Inc..
* Danese, Roberto/Bacianini, Andrea/Torino, Alessio. 2003. Weni, widi, wici: tra 'volumen" e byte, Guaraldi.
* Davy, Barbara Jane. 2006. Introduction to Pagan Studies, Rowman Altamira.
* Dennis A. Trinkle, Scott A. Merriman. M.E. Sharpe, 2002. US history highway, Volume 1.
* Dennis A. Trinkle, Scott A. Merriman. M.E. Sharpe, 2006. The history highway: a 21st-century guide to Internet resources.
* Dixon, Suzanne. 2007. Cornelia, Mother of the Gracchi, Routledge.
* Gallagher, E. V./Willsky-Ciollo, L. 2015. A Day in a Working Life: 300 Trades and Professions Through History, ABC-CLIO.
* Higginbotham, J./Higginbotham, 2009. ChristoPaganism: An Inclusive Path, Llewellyn Worldwide.
* McColman, Carl. 2002. The Complete Idiot's Guide (R) to Paganism, Alpha Books.
* Strmiska, Michael. 2005. Modern Paganism in World Cultures: Comparative Perspectives, ABC-CLIO.
* York, Michael. 2015. Pagan Ethics: Paganism as a World Religion, Springer.
External links
*
{{Micronations
International non-profit organizations
Historical reenactment groups
Polytheistic reconstructionism
Organizations established in 1998
Non-profit organizations based in Maine
Micronations