Cultural impact of Nova Roma
During its quarter century of existence to this date, Nova Roma has made an impact on the world, contributing with significant achievements to Roman reenactment and reconstructionism, study and reconstruction of Roman traditions, ritual and religious practices, Roman archaeology, literature and even cinema, to some extent. This page sums up some of impacts and influences that Nova Roma or individual Nova Romans made to our contemporary world and culture.
Be sure to also check out the indivdual achievements and projects of our many citizens.
Roman reenactment and reconstructionism
Nova Roma with its various affiliated reenactment units made a number of big firsts. Some of these are really the first ever occurrences of such reconstructions, some of these, however, are first only in the sense that Nova Roma was the first to reconstruct them accurately, or with all the details and in full. Among a number of minor things, Nova Roma was the first to model seriously a fully functional complete social experiment of a working Roman republican government, with all the institutions, magistrates and priesthood, with elections, laws, factions, vetoes, with all the related ceremonies and taboos (and which has been running for more than 25 years by today!); to produce academically researched and reconstructed, full-length ancient Roman rituals in correct, authentic Latin, using the ancient religious formulae; to organize a complete reconstruction of a Roman curule magistrate's "funus censorium,"; to arrange a complete senatorial procession of both consuls with twelve lictores, in fully authentic urban insignia, in the historical center of the modern city of Rome; to reconstruct a fully-fledged Roman triumph ("triumphus"), to bring back to life a thoroughly researched inauguration ceremonies of Roman magistrates and sacredotes, as well as the inauguration and consecration ceremony of a Roman temple, and to support its actual, real building in partnership with our affiliated TEMPLVM Organization, to perform a complete reconstruction of Roman judiciary procedure for educative purpose to museum audiences, to present all the types of Roman toga, correctly and entirely authentically draped, from all historical periods of Roman history, to large audiences as part of reconstructed historical scenes (including the elaborate forms of the late antique toga never previously seen in reenactment).
Academic books that discuss or mention Nova Roma
Another sign of Nova Roma's cultural impact on society is that there are many academic and educational publications that mention Nova Roma and discuss its significance. You can take a look at the Wikipedia article on Nova Roma below, and look at the list of collected books which mention or discuss Nova Roma:
Achievements by our projects or membership
Several projects have been initiated or born within Nova Roma, and achieved by our members or by project groups of Nova Roma, inspired or supported by our community. You can read about some of them in this page:
The Nova Roma Movie
Max Silver, an independent film producer in Minneapolis, has created a short movie film inspired the ideas of Nova Roma, a modern era Roman nation, where the religio Romana survived and the Roman state is still in existence. Mr Silver consulted Nova Roma before the production of his film, but the movie itself is entirely his production, however, the inspiration were (some of) the ideas of Nova Roma. You can find the movie on IMDB here:
Nova Roma: The Comeback Story of Civilization, a novel by R. Brandon Rhodes
The book titled "Nova Roma: The Comeback Story of Civilization" was written by R. Brandon Rhodes, and it is clearly inspired by the ideas and concepts of Nova Roma. The book talks about the way to a brighter, Roman future ahead, where humanity will unlock the mysteries of the ancient knowledge and build their shining beacon on the hill, Nova Roma, the dawning light of civilization. You can find this book on Amazon here:
Nova Roma in a novel by Anne Hart (citizen Octavia Fabia Scriba)
The ideas of Nova Roma have inspired another book. There is a novel written by Anne Hart, its title is "Roman Justice SPQR: Too Roman To Handle". A novel combining historical and science fiction time travel elements. And what we see there? Our Nova Roma being mentioned by ancient Roman characters, referring to it as the restoration of Rome in the future, on the internet. Take a look at the paragraph:
The author is a former citizen of Nova Roma, Octavia Fabia Scriba, who has unwillingly renounced her citizenship because of her increasing problems with her eyesight. Here is her last email to the NR forum: http://www.novaroma.org/forum/mainlist/2003/2003-04-21.html
Academic books that discuss or mention Nova Roma
This is another sign that Nova Roma is noted and watched by the world. During the last 2 years, I made researches for the Wikipedia article of NR to find as many sources that mention NR as possible, and the fruit of my work is visible on the notes and references section of the Nova Roma article of Wikipedia. Just take a look at the Wikipedia article on Nova Roma that how many books mention us:
Roma Nova novel series by Alison Morton
A series of fictional alternative Roman history novels, partly or possibly inspired by our organization, or at least by the same ideas and principles, by Alison Morton. The series are entitled "Roma Nova", and you can read lots of things about them and the author in her blog:
The fantasy model city of Nova Roma by Mr William Perera
During its more than two decades of existence, the ideas of Nova Roma inspired a number of books, films and other art works, and the same ideas gave birth to this awesome model city, called "Nova Roma". The art work of Mr William Perera was inspired by the ideas of classical culture and humanism, glory and greatness. Although the model city "Nova Roma" of Mr Perera is rather medieval or renaissance, it's especially interesting for us, because the long term goal of our Nova Roma is to build a reconstructed ancient Roman city. The values of Nova Roma are being spread increasingly all over the world!
The Nova Roma logo used in manufacturing and elsewhere
Ancient Rome has never had an official "coat of arms", the concept didn't exist then, although it had several symbols used simultaneously, like the eagle, the wolf, the SPQR letters, the laurel wreath. It was Nova Roma which created the specific symbol of golden SPQR in a golden laurel wreath on a crimson background, inspired by Roman iconography, but not directly copied from any ancient Roman source in this exact format. Reenactors, manufacturers, T-shirt and mug printers (and this sort of businesses) all over the word use this specific logo as the symbol of ancient Rome, a huge cultural and iconographic impact of Nova Roma. There is nothing strictly unhistorical in our logo, but it is not an original Roman emblem, it is the specific trademarked logo of Nova Roma. Similar representations existed in Rome, similar wreaths can be found specifically on gravestones (without SPQR added), in building ornaments, and on coins even with the SPQR letters, but the exact design has not existed. Our official logo conquered the world, and it is now a symbol of revived or reenacted Romanitas everywhere.
