Nova Roma

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 the ancient Roman religion as its "state religion", while also guaranteeing the freedom of religion of its citizens. The British scholar Michael York noted that the traditional Roman way of thinking, Roman philosophy, 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, including the restoration of the ancient priestly collegia, like the offices of pontifex and flamen, and the honoring of the full cycle of Roman holidays throughout the year. According to the Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance, at the time of Christmas, Nova Romans celebrate the Roman holiday Saturnalia.

In 2006, Margot Adler noted the organization's plan to restore a Magna Mater shrine in Rome.

Live events, conventions and reenactments

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, Bulgaria, the Roman Market Day in Wells, Maine's Harbor Park, and Forum Fulvii in Italy, Ludi Savarienses Historical Carnival, the Aquincum Floralia Spring Festival in Budapest, Hungary, or the Natale di Roma in Rome, Italy, 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, author of many Roman-themed best-selling novels, and T. P. Wiseman, university professor of Roman history and former vice-president of the British Academy, or the second edition of the same competition, where the jury was Jo Walton, World Fantasy Award-winning novelist and poet.

Coinage and sponsorship of Roman cultural projects

Nova Roma has minted two coins with the denomination of sestertius, one in bronze, issued in 2000, and another in brass, dating from 2005. Each bears the letters SPQR and has a diameter of 32 mm, 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 a nonprofit 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

Main article: New Rome

Revival of things Roman and their co-option for symbolic importance have a long history. in its deliberate revival of grandiose remnants of the past thus parallels and echoes other New Romes such as:

• the Byzantine or Eastern Roman Empire as a surviving embodiment of Roman ideals based on Constantinople (sometimes characterized as "New Rome" or the "Second Rome") after the decline of the Roman imperium in the West.For example: |author-link = Theodor Mommsen |access-date = 2011-12-16 |archive-date = 2016-06-03 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160603020351/https://books.google.com/books?id=TEcLoormeuQC |url-status = live
• the doctrine of the Third Rome as justification for imperial Muscovite and Russian ambitions from the 15th century onwards. Note for example {{cite book | author-link = Ernst Hartwig Kantorowicz | access-date = 2011-12-16
• Mussolini's attempted construction of a Mediterranean-based New Roman Empire (compare Imperial Italy) in the early 20th century. | access-date = 2011-12-16

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.

References

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3. Trinkle, D. A./Merriman, S. A: ''The history highway: a 21st century guide to Internet resources'', p. 464. M.E. Sharpe, 2006
4. Burgan, Michael: ''Empire of Ancient Rome'', p. 122. Infobase Publishing, 2004
5. (13 November 2011). "Nova Roma: Organization Dedicated to Ancient Roman Culture". Center for Applied Second Language Studies (CASLS), University of Oregon.
6. Strmiska, Michael: ''Modern Paganism in World Cultures: Comparative Perspectives'', p. 335-336. ABC-CLIO, 2005
7. Eugene V. Gallagher, W. Michael Ashcraft: ''Introduction to New and Alternative Religions in America: Metaphysical, New Age, and neopagan movements''. p. 220. Greenwood Press, 2006
8. George D. Chryssides, Historical Dictionary of New Religious Movements (2011, 2nd ed.)
9. Auffarth, Chr./Bernard, J./Mohr, H.: ''Metzler Lexikon Religion: Gegenwart - Alltag - Medien'', pp. 211-12. Metzler, 2002
10. "Sestertius signum".
11. American Numismatic Association: ''The Numismatist'', page 19. American Numismatic Association, 2003
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13. Vobruba, Georg: ''Grenzsoziologie: die politische Strukturierung des Raumes'', p. 210. VS Verlag, 2006
14. Gallagher, E. V./Willsky-Ciollo, L.: ''A Day in a Working Life: 300 Trades and Professions Through History,'' pp. 332-333. ABC-CLIO, 2015
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28. Vescia, Monique: ''Battle Reenactments'', p. 38. The Rosen Publishing Group, 2015
29. "The second Festival of Ancient Heritage in Svishtov". Council of Tourism - Svishtov.
30. "GLADIATORS TO BATTLE ON ROMAN MARKET DAY". Portland Press Herald.
31. "Great Caesar's ghost ...; A celebration of ancient Roman culture takes place this weekend in Hollis.". Portland Press Herald.
32. "Roman days, Roman nights; Gladiators, armor and other displays are a few highlights of Wells' annual Roman Market Days". Portland Press Herald.
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43. "Home Page - The Australasian Living History Federation Inc - ALHF".