Ceremonial Opening of the Ludi Novi Romani

The Ludi Novi Romani are held for 15 days for the celebration of the Concordialia, the founding anniversary festival of Nova Roma. This year Nova Roma celebrates its 24th birthday. The Concordialia were opened by festive speeches by both consuls, and by a religious ritual and sacrifice' to Concordia and to the chief deities by both aediles curules, M. Cotta Iovius and A. Vitellius. Still on the Kalends of March, the chief Concordia-ritual was performed by praetor C. Cornelius Barosus and pontifex, priest of Concordia, quaestor and praefectus rei publicae Cn. Cornelius Lentulus. You can watch the photos of the ceremony here:

• PHOTO REPORT OF THE CONCORDIALIA CEREMONY ON FACEBOOK

Aedilician Opening Speech

After the Concordialia ritual, which is main sacrifice of the Ludi Novi Romani, an opening ritual was held by the senior aedilis curulis M. Cotta, followed by a ceremonial opening speech of the games which you can read below:

M. Aurelius Cotta Iovius aedilis curulis SPD

Avete, Citizens of Nova Roma,

Nova Roma is 24 years old today. Nova Roma is starting its 25th year today to complete its first quarter of a century next year this day. Let m to invite you all to participate in the Ludi Novi Romani, or also called Ludi Concordiales, to honor Concordia and our own community. The games will run between March 1-15.

My colleague aedilis curulis A. Vitellius Celsus and I are in charge of this ludi, and we hope to give you enough Roman themed online entertainment during this celebration.

Today at 18:00 in Aquincum we will hold a big Roman party and ceremony to celebrate our 24th anniversary, with praetor C. Cornelius Barosus, pontifex and quaestor Cn. Cornelius Lentulus, tribune of plebs Caecilia Sabina, and with Nova Romans of the Ludus Gladiatorum, Legio XXI Rapax, Colonia Rostallo, and possibly other Nova Roman groups will be present.

You all will be represented by us and will be present by us.

We are one spirit, one soul, one New Rome. Long live Nova Roma!

With this I officially opening the XXIV Anniversary Ludi Novi Romani in the name of the aedilician office. I have just perfomed the Opening Ritual of the Ludi Novi Romani at my home altar in the previous minutes. Please see it in the APPENDIX below.

Happy Ludi Novi Romani!

M. Aurelius Cotta Iovius

AEDILIS CURULIS

Programs of the Ludi Novi Romani

Ludi Scaenici Poetici: Theatrical Presentation of Poetry Live

Hosted by C. Petronius Stephanus Turpilianus, scriba

This theatrical presentation of two poems is our offering as a piece of Ludi Scaenici Poetici, a theatrical poetic tribute to Peace and Concord, in these troubled times, in honor of the 24th Anniversary of the Founding of Nova Roma, and the Ludi Novi Romani.

C. Petronius Stephanus Turpilianus, scriba of the aedilis M. Aurelius Cotta Iovius, is presenting his Ludi Scaenici Poetici in the name of aedilis M. Aurelius Cotta Iovius in honor of the 24th Anniversary of the Founding of Nova Roma. He is reciting two poems which were written in the spirit of desiring peace and concord among the Romans, however, there are 2000 years between the writing of the two.

"Pax et Concordia - Old and New Roman", by Horace and Venator:

• WATCH THE LUDI SCAENICI POETICI on YouTube

The first poem was written by the greatest Roman poet, Horace (Q. Horatius Flaccus by his full original name), and it is about the desire of the people for the return of Augustus, who is away in the provinces, because only he can ensure the peace and good order in Rome.

The second poem was written by a member of Nova Roma, P. Ullerius Stephanus Venator, in 2007, in the wake of the Sacred Year of Concordia of Nova Roma, our 10th Anniversary Year. It expresses the wish of the Roman reconstructionist and revivalist community worldwide for unity, concordance and cooperation for our mission, the difficulty of our decisions, tasks and plans expecting us during this mission, and it celebrates the initiative of the young Cn. Cornelius Lentulus who introduced the principle of unity and proposed Concordia as the patroness of the Roman revivalist movement.

Two poems, 2000 years apart, born from the same desire, written in the same spirit, by, and for, people who identify as Romans. It is stunning to see how Rome keeps inspiring people, even after two millennia, and how Roman identity and the idea of Roman citizenship are revived and alive. With this little gesture, we, the Nova Romans, pay our tribute to the great Romans of ancient Rome, and to the 24 years of Roman revival by Nova Roma.

Ludi Scaenici: Caesar's Assassination Reenactment in the Rome

Hosted by C. Petronius Stephanus Turpilianus, scriba

The representative of the aediles of Nova Roma, C. Petronius Stephanus Turpilianus, tribune of the plebs, is in Rome to participate in the Reenactment Scene of Caesar's Assassination. 15 March, the last day of our Ludi Novi Romani, marks the day of assassination of Julius Caesar, the "tyrannicidium," as most Roman nobles would remember the event. The event is organized by the Gruppo Storico Romano, the group that Nova Roma supported as a non-political, civilian candidate for the municipality of Rome local mayors' election last year.

Aedilis curulis M. Aurelius Cotta Iovius, offers the Reenactment Scene of Caesar's Assassination, specifically the work of his aedilician scriba, C. Petronius, to the citizens of Nova Roma, as the second ludi scaenici, theatrical play, for these Ludi Novi Romani. Photos will be coming soon, and we will announce them to our citizens.

We thank the aedilician work of C. Petronius, who is bringing Nova Roma to this event which is one of the most important and most iconic reenactments in the world of Roman reenactment, and we also thank the possibility of cooperation with the Gruppo Storico Romano of Rome!

Munera Gladiatoria Live

Hosted by C. Aurelius Cotta Iovius, aedilis curulis

Aedilis curulis M. Aurelius Cotta Iovius (Weixelbaum János) is presenting Live Gladiatorial Games With Betting For The Winner for the 24th Anniversary of Nova Roma, from archive footage, for the current LUDI NOVI ROMANI, Nova Roman Anniversary Games. There will be two rounds of fights, this is the first. MAKE YOUR BETS, and win Census Points in Nova Roma as a prize!

Aedilis curulis M. Aurelius Cotta Iovius offers you for these current Ludi Novi Romani, a LIVE GLADIATORIAL GAME, held in fact some years ago, however, made from footage that has never been published previously! The aedilis M. Cotta is the lanista of the Familia Gladiatoria Pannonica, and he offers you the fight of Felicianus, the retiarius, and Romanus, the scissor. What is special in these gladiatorial games, that the ENDING IS MISSING from the fight. The result is still open, and YOU ARE INVITED TO MAKE YOUR BETS! Aedilis M. Cotta offers you two fights for the current Ludi Novi Romani, the second will be presented some days later.

The betting player who makes the most accurate bets, or if there are more players who make equally accurate bets, one of them chosen by lot, will receive the prize: 3 Census Points for the best betting participant, 2 CP for the second best, and 1 CP for the third best.

HOW CAN YOU PARTICIPATE?

Watch this munera gladiatoria video of the Familia Gladiatoria Pannonica in which praetor FELICIANUS, the retiatius (half-naked with a net and trident) and ROMANUS, the scissor (full armor with built in dagger) will fight in honor of the current Ludi Novi Romani. After watching it, make your bets on the following TWO THINGS:

• (1) Who will win the fight, FELICIANUS or ROMANUS?
• (2) What will be the fate of the loser, "life" or "death"?

Write your bets in comment on Facebook under the videos (or in the mailing forum of Nova Roma).

• THE FIRST ROUND OF FIGHTS:

WATCH ROUND ONE OF THE LIVE GLADIATOR FIGHT FOR BETTING ON FACEBOOK

• THE SECOND ROUND OF FIGHTS:

WATCH THE SECOND ROUND OF THE LIVE GLADIATOR FIGHT FOR BETTING ON FACEBOOK

Certamen Historicum de Nova Roma - With a €60, €40, €20 Book Voucher Prizes

Hosted by C. Sempronius Scepsis Agricola, scriba

In the name of aedilis M. Aurelius Cotta Iovius and in celebration of the Ludi Novi Romani honouring Nova Roma’s 24 year history we will be having a simple quiz about Nova Roma and Ancient Rome. Questions will be posted at a rate of one per day from today until Tuesday the 15th of March, but all questions may be answered until the final deadline. The three people with the most correct answers will receive the below prizes, including a voucher to the value mentioned below for the Book Depository:

• 1st Prize - €60 and 3CP
• 2nd Prize - €40 and 2CP
• 3rd Prize - €20 and 1CP

In the case of an overall tie, the person who provided more complete answers will be considered the winner.

Please send your responses in English to the email address: "aschep13@gmail.com", including the words "LUDI ROMANI | Certamen Historicum de Nova Roma " in the subject line.

The deadline for all responses will be 11:59 P.M. Rome Time on Tuesday, March 15th.

• ALL QUESTIONS OF THE CERTAMEN HISTORICUM DE NOVA ROMA on the Forum of Nova Roma

Certamen Latinum - "Latin for Email" Contest

Hosted by Cn. Cornelius Lentulus, scriba, quaestor

For these ludi, we are coming up with a very simple Latin contest for beginners about how to use essential Latin in our email and chat communication with our fellow Nova Romans. The purpose of this certamen is to teach you how to use basic elementary Latin in your communications with your fellow citizens. Test yourself, and learn what all of us should know! It will be simple and fun! Start right now! Remember, by participating in the ludi, you are performing an act of sacrifice: you can ask anything from Concordia and the other celebrated deities any thing you want, in exchange! Let's start! Details, questions, rules and everything is here, click on the link:

• ALL QUESTIONS OF THE CERTAMEN LATINUM on the Forum of Nova Roma

Certamen Artium - Art Contest

Hosted by A. Vitellius Celsus, aedilis curulis

Fellow celebrating citizens! As aedilis curulis, I am announcing this Art Contest in honor of the Ludi Novi Romani celebrating the 24th Anniversary of Nova Roma. We all love Nova Roma very much, because it symbolizes and embodies the Living Rome. Our beloved ancient Rome is the past, but its heritages lives inside of our culture. We take this culture, we renew and represent the traditions of ancient Rome, and by doing so, we fill this heritage with vibrant, productive life. Many leaders of the world wanted to restore Rome, but ours is the first peaceful and benevolent attempt. In this spirit, our patron goddess is Concordia, our guiding force is unity. This is what we celebrate during the 15 days of the LUDI NOVI ROMANI. Please participate in any of the games, for example, in this art contest of mine: any participation is an offering to goddess Concordia, so you can ask anything from her in exchange!

RULES OF THE CERTAMEN ARTIUM

Send any form of your art to me, poem, novel, photo, drawing, painting, music, singing, anything, about the topic of (1) "Nova Roma", (2) "Concord or Peace" (3) "Unity among Roman reenactors or Rome fans". Any of these themes is acceptable. The jury is composed of aedilis A. Vitellius Celsus and scriba A. Iulius Paterculus. Send your art, with the title "ENTRY TO CERTAMEN ARTIUM", to my email address at:

vld_popov@abv.bg

DEADLINE: March 14, 24:00, Rome Time

PRIZES:

• First Place: 3 Census Point
• Second Place: 2 Census Point
• Third Place: 1 Census Point

Ipse Dixit Quiz - With Money Prize

Hosted by P. Annaeus Constantinus Placidus, scriba

Below here you will find the links to the questions for the new LUDI MEGALENSES edition of the long running quiz IPSE DIXIT, a linguistic and cultural challenge based on Latin quotations - famous and relatively obscure, literary and poetical, classical and modern - all kinds! Each item will feature questions, and each question will feature a score. The challenge is, of course, scoring as many points as possible. So, citizens, join us in our journey along the illustrious linguistic footsteps of our ancestors and not only, for a bit of fun and - why not? - a bit of learning as well. You can access all quiz questions for these ludi here:

• ALL QUESTIONS OF IPSE DIXIT on the Forum of Nova Roma