SATURNALIA SUBURA DOMUS TOUR

December at 1.30 PM SLT
Tuesday, 14 Dec 2010 19:58:58 GMT

On 18 December at 1.30 pm SLT come and enjoy our Saturnalia decorations in Subura houses! Senators Zelda Walpole and Ragark Fiertze will lead you through our wonderful Subura and show some of the most beautifully decorated domus of Roma. This is the chance not only to chat and drink some wine together, but also to see houses usually not open to all citizens.

If you would like to show your decorated domus send a notecard to Zelda Walpole before 17th December.
See you around Subura streets! Io Saturnalia!

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DECEMBER FESTIVAL NEWS - SATURNALIA

by the Vestalis Maxima (Angelia Rees)

Our December festival is the Saturnalia - the original Saturnalia was the winter solstice festival in Rome. It involved the conventional sacrifices, a couch set out in front of the temple of Saturn and the untying of the ropes that bound the statue of Saturn during the rest of the year. Besides the public rites there were a series of holidays and customs celebrated privately. A Saturnalicius princeps was elected master of ceremonies for the proceedings.

The celebrations included the making and giving of small presents and a special market. Many of the decorations involved greenery - swathes, garlands, wreaths, etc - being hung over doorways and windows, and ornamenting stairs. Ornaments in the trees included sun symbols, stars, and faces of the God Janus (who looked toward both the past and the future, having two faces). Trees were not brought indoors (the Germans started that tradition), but decorated where they grew.

People were just as likely to be ornamented as the trees. Wearing greenery and jewelry of a sacred nature was common. Gambling was allowed for all, even slaves (however, although it was officially condoned only during this period, one should not assume that it was rare or much remarked on during the rest of the year). It was a time to eat, drink, and be merry. The toga was not worn, but rather colorful, informal "dinner clothes", and the pileus (freedman's hat) was worn by everyone. Slaves were exempt from punishment, and treated their masters with disrespect. The slaves celebrated a banquet: before, with, or served by the masters.

Saturnalia became one of the most popular Roman festivals which led to more role-reversal, marked chiefly by having masters and slaves ostensibly switch places (only symbolically - slaves weren't really free to make a freedman's decisions and anything they did or decreed would reverse at the end of Saturnalia). It was license within careful boundaries - it reversed the social order without subverting it. The customary greeting for the occasion is "Io, Saturnalia!" "Io" being a Latin interjection related to "ho" (as in "Ho, praise to Saturn").

*Festival Schedule*

17th Dec. :

Ave Weekend Party - 12pm (Noon)
Saturnalia Latin Lessons - 1pm

18th Dec. :

Saturnalia Ritual & Tavern Celebration - 10am
Saturnalia Snowman Building Contest - 12pm (Noon)
Subura Domus Deco Walking Tour & Feast- 1:30pm

19th Dec. :

Saturnalia Ice Skating Party - 11am
Saturnalia Sleigh Races - 12pm (Noon)
Legion XIII's Saturnalia Gladius Deathmatch - 1pm
Saturnalia Grand Feast - 4pm
(Grand Feast includes Trivia Contest and Saturnalia Gift Exchange)

For more detailed info on events - see the schedule posted on the blog.

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LATIN CLASSES IN ROMA

By Nina Tiberia (Tonina Rodenberger)

Recently Magistrae Zelda Walpole and Tonina Rodenberger started a basic Latin lesson in Roma SPQR.

Here you can read a short summary about what was taught in the first lesson:

Latin is an inflected language. In other words, the meaning and function of each word, especially nouns, adjectives and verbs, varies based on its endings.

Whereas english derives meaning from word order ("Man bites dog" and "Dog bites man" mean entirely different things) Latin may place the words in any order but the endings of the words make sentence meaning clear.

Nouns

Latin nouns are sorted into 5 declensions.

Flecting a noun (and that also includes names) or an adjective is called "to decline".
It is also important to know, that every latin noun has its gender, either masculine or feminine or neuter.

Latin nouns are sorted into 5 declensions and we learned about the:

1st (a-) -declension, that its nouns end on -a in nominative singular and that most of them are feminine.
Example: rosa = The rose, a rose

2nd (o-) -declension, that the masculine nouns of this declension end on -us in nominative singular.
Example: servus = the slave, a slave

Verbs

Flecting a verb we call "to conjugate".
Latin verbs are sorted into 5 conjugations.

Each Latin verb, depending on its spelling, falls under one of these categories. From there a verb can be conjugated into tenses such as present, imperfect, future I, perfect, plusquamperfect and future II
and the ending also tells us who is doing something or to whom something is done.

Our first latin lesson taught us, that the 1st person singular present (he,she,it) is expressed by the ending -t.
Example: sedet = he/she/it sits
rogat = he/she/it asks

Look forward to the next lesson. Keep in mind what you learned so far and, well, dont forget to learn your vocabulary! ;-)

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LATIN WORD OF THE DAY

By Nina Tiberia (Tonina Rodenberger)

Qod licet Iovi, non licet bovi.

quod here: what (relative pronoun 1st pers. singular neuter)
licet it is allowed
Iovis Jupiter (Iovi = dative)
bos, bovis, masc. bull, ox (bovi = dative singular)

"Quod licet Iovi, non licet bovi" is a Latin phrase, litterally meaning "What is legitimate for Jove (Jupiter) is not legitimate for oxen".

The phrase was created by Terence, a playwright of the Roman Republic in reference to the myth wherein Jupiter took the form of a bull to seduce Europa. The phrase is often translated as "Gods may do what cattle may not".

It indicates the existence of a double standard (justifiable or otherwise), and essentially means "What is permitted to one person or a group, is not permitted to everyone".

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OOC REPORT ABOUT THE ROLEPLAY NEWS

By Petrus Cornelius Silvanus (Peter Woody)

Many things have happened in ROMA'S roleplay this year. Here are a few of the notices from throughout the year discussing the changes:

1) Closing the Theatrum Romanum site
This was an unhappy necessity but gave us the opportunity to reorganize and consolidate the contents in a new space. This is the message board of "romacitizen", the "Theatrum" section: http://romacitizens.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=theatrum

2) Reorganizing the romacitizens messageboard
In the message board, the news about the roleplay was spread over several sub and sub-sub boards, surely too many. Some of them will be deleted in the next days, to allow the roleplayer to find the news more easily. For instance, to know the character history of an avatar, you will consult a unique sub-board where a dozen stories are already posted:
http://romacitizens.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=stories
And in the future you will be able to consult them even while roleplaying. They will be listed alphabetically.

3) Updating the personal character stories
We want you to utilize the above mentioned sub-board as a practical instrument to better your roleplay. So please send your updated ones to Peter Woody, the moderator, if you want be an active member of the group. You can do it also in form of note, inworld. If you need to discuss its contents, please do that with him or with another praetor scaenae. To allow you to retrieve your old story, the closure of the old sub-boards will be delayed until 31st of December. Those sub boards are:
http://romacitizens.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=cspatricians
http://romacitizens.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=csforeigners
http://romacitizens.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=csplebs
http://romacitizens.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=roleplay
Only the avatars included in the updated board will have the full tag of ROMA ROLEPLAYER

ROLEPLAYERS
All the roleplayers are invited to keep in mind their personal stories and behave consequently when roleplaying. Submitting the stories is not a bureaucratic procedure, it is the food of the play.

4) Reorganizing the Theatrum Romanum group
We need new blood for roleplaying (no, we are not vampires) so we decided to simplify the access to the group. It is no more invitation only, all avatars can join for free, but with a "guest" tag. So even a shy player, unsure of his/her ability to roleplay, can match him/herself with us in a sort of trial period. Then, after that decide to join fully, choosing a roman name and discussing with the praetores his or her character history, so that he/she can achieve the ROMA ROLEPLAYER tag. The distinction between patrician, plebs and foreigner will be eliminated in the future.

5) Changing the day
After a discussion with the estate managers, it has been decided to move the official roleplay time to Saturdays at 1 PM SLT, to allow more people to join. The slot of Wednesday is still available for special events. The meeting point, when not specified in group notices, is the Tavern. On the 1st floor you can find a board where any interesting news will be posted.

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ASTROLOGY

 by Spaciva Ivanova

CAPRICORN ~ 22 December - 20 January

Capricorn (♑) is the tenth sign in the zodiac, originating from the constellation of Capricornus. In western astrology, this sign is no longer aligned with the constellation as a result of the precession of the equinoxes.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axial_precession_%28astronomy%29)

Element - Earth
Ruling Planet - Saturn
Symbol - Sea Goat
Birthstone - Garnet
Introvert

The constellation Capricorn represents the tenth Zodiac sign. According to Greek mythology, Capricorn is portrayed as a fish-tailed goat, Amalthea, who nursed the baby Zeus who was in hiding from his evil father Cronos. Zeus became lord of the Gods and took one of Capricorn’s horns which came to be known as cornucopia, the horn of plenty. The horn was said to abound with whatever fortune its owner desired. Amaltheia was rewarded with a place in the heavens by Zeus.

Capricornus (or Capricorn) is usually translated as "The Sea Goat". It literally means horned goat. The constellation is ancient, and was one of the earliest members of the zodiac.

The practical and prudent Capricorn sun sign will be the first to tell you if your new idea just does not make common sense. They are great refiners, taking people creative ideas and fine tuning them, adding direction and practical application.

http://www.astrology-insight.com/capricorn.htm

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DID YOU KNOW?

by Spaciva Ivanova

How the DAYS OF THE WEEK got their names ?


DAYS OF THE WEEK :

SATURDAY - dies Saturni / the day of Saturn / Directly from Latin.

SUNDAY - dies Solis / Sun day / Likewise

MONDAY - dies Lunae / Moon day / Ditto

TUESDAY - dies Martis / The day of Mars / Tiwesdaeg / The day of Tiw, from Norse Tys dagr ('dagr ' is old Norse for 'day ')

WEDNESDAY - dies Mercuris / The day of Mercury / Wodnesdaeg / The day of Woden, from Norse Odin's dagr

THURSDAY - dies Iovis / The day of Jupiter / Thursdaeg / The day of Thor, from Norse Thor's dagr

FRIDAY - dies Veneris / The day of Venus / Frigesdaeg / The day of Freya, from Norse Freyja's dagr

cr: www.Roman-Britain.ORG

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JANUARY FESTIVAL NEWS

by Vestalis Maxima

The Paganalia, also known as Feriae Sementivae, was a Roman festival of sowing. These festival days were held every year, but not on certain or fixed days, the time being appointed each year by the magistrates or priests. It was held in honor of Ceres (the goddess of agriculture) and Tellus (Mother Earth). The initial half of the event was a festival in honor of Tellus which traditionally ran from January 24 through January 26. The festival honoring Ceres occurred one week later, traditionally starting February 2.

ROMA's Paganalia is a celebration of all cultural pagan rites and ceremonies, and each year we try to perform various rituals from multiple cultures - to expose ROMA's citizens to other forms of pagan religious practice. In addition to this, we also have some purely fun events and our traditional Grand Feast.

***Festival Schedule***

January 23th:

10am - Roman Paganalia Ritual
12pm - Paganalia Fishing Contest
2pm - Greek Paganalia Ritual


January 24th:

10am - Egyptian Horus Ritual
12pm - Cloaca Croc Race
2pm - Native American Powwow Presentation
4pm - Paganalia Grand Feast

For more detailed schedule info, please check the Tabularium in ROMA or the ROMA Citizens Blog @ http://romacitizens.blogspot.com/

Please note: this official schedule may be changed or modified slightly - check the blog for any updates.
** all times are SLT

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FROM THE SENATE

New Roma Curiate Assembly

by Torin Golding

ROMA will now have an assembly that will meet once a month. We are going to be replacing the ROMA Senate meeting with a larger gathering involving citizens and group officers. All active groups will provide one or two representatives to attend the meetings and help with initiatives in ROMA.

The ROMA CURIATE ASSEMBLY is the monthly meeting of ROMA Senators, officers, and Citizens. It meets in the ROMA Curia and replaces the former ROMA Senate meetings. The Assembly is a large body that consists of three parts, or “chambers”, each with their role to play in managing and maintaining ROMA. It is also a “think-tank” for proposing new ideas and discussing all aspects of the estate. The Assembly meets the last Sunday of every month.

Each part ("chamber") will have its own designated area inside the Curia

CHAMBER 1: The Senators (the Optimates)

The Senators have two main roles in ROMA: A) to serve as a direct advisory body to the Emperor, Estate Managers and owner of ROMA, and B) to serve as “point people” and organizers of many ROMA events and tasks. This latter role allows them to act as “patrons”, helping other Citizens in ROMA accomplish their goals and ideas for the estate. Senators are often also called upon to be the “public face of ROMA”, wearing their Senator title with pride amongst both their fellow Citizens and new visitors. All Citizens may approach ROMA Senators with issues and they will endeavor to find solutions.

CHAMBER 2: The Group Officers (the Populares)

The second chamber of the Assembly is comprised of group officers from the various active groups in ROMA. The Senate officers and Prefect will keep a current list of active groups. Each group will have up to two representatives to sit in this chamber during meetings. They are called "Novi Homines / Novae Feminae" and speak with the authority of the group. They are present in the Assembly to A) facilitate communication between the various groups in ROMA, B) to brainstorm event ideas and solicit assistance from the Senators in organizing events and ideas, and C) to bring any public issues to discussion within the Assembly.

CHAMBER 3: The Public Council

The Citizenry of ROMA is invited to participate in the Assembly. A special seating area in the Curia will allow spectators to join in the moderated discussions.

More detailed information about the changes can be found on our blog: http://romacitizens.blogspot.com/2010/01/announcing-new-roma-curiate-assembly.html

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