Opening Ceremony ~ Ludi Conditorum 2761 AUC (Nova Roma)

15:45 - Direct from Circus Flaminius, by our reporter P. Concordianus Pauper for CLC (Catena Ludorum Curulium)

Thanks all for watching or listening C.L.C., Catena Ludorum Curulium ! Publicus Concordianus Pauper is speaking to report you this important Opening ceremony, the Ludi Conditorum one. First, while the degrees of this wonderful Circus Flaminius go on welcoming the crowd of the Novaromans, who have come in mass despite grey skies, a few words on these Ludi.

You remember all, sure, that these are special Ludi, that our aediles curules, S. Lucilius Tutor and P. Memmius Albucius have wished to organize in the frame of what they have called the “Decennales", I mean the group of special public games set up to celebrate Nova Roma 10th birthday. These Decennales have begun with the last Lupercalenses, two weeks ago, and will go on with the Matutini in June. But these Conditorum seem to be the most important time in this extraordinary Decennales games.

For you know all that it is, in this year 2761, Nova Roma special birthday, the tenth one. And this birthday is falling sharp on next Kalends of March. So these Ludi come right to turn around these Kalends. Yes, ten years ago, both Patres Patriae Marcus Cassius Julianus and Flavius Vedius Germanicus have created Nova Roma. These Ludi Conditorum are precisely to pay homage to them.

But let us listen to the Aediles's address. Both Lucilius and Memmius are in the grand stand. Memmius is now standing. As for Lupercalenses, the consules are sitting by their side. The most of senators are here, but I cannot see both Patres Patriae. Most of the members of the Colleges of Priests and Augurs seem to be there. But we will go for information afterwards on this. Ah, Memmius has arisen the right hand, readjusting his toga on his left shoulder. He is asking for silence. And the crowd stops speaking. So we will!

The Speech to the Quirites

Romani! Patres! Consules! Magistrates and religious officers!

Salvete!

Today is an great day. Our Lupercalenses ludi are still present in our memories, that even more important games are beginning : Ludi Conditorum !

Yes, Nova Roma has already lived ten years! Ten years of games, but also ten years of wishes, of hopes, of struggles, ten years of desillusions, of projects, and reconciliations.

I will not try to say what our Consul Piscinus and our Princeps Senatus have willed to tell you directly, far better than I would myself, and with their whole auctoritas, on our next Kalends of March.

I will first tell you that we aediles are very proud being the ones who have this wonderful opportunity to stay in Nova Roma' marble for just one ground : to be lucky enough to be the 10th birthday curule aediles. Yes, luck, Quirites, just luck given by our Gods, that we are going to invoke and praise again, all along these Ludi, to ask their protection, directly of through the voice of every pontifex, flamen, vestalis or sacerdos who have been kind enough to help us, cives Roman enough to understand that we are to live all together one of the historical times of Nova Roma.

Thanks thus to Flamen Cincinnatus and to Vestalis Messallina, thanks to Pontifex and Augur Piscinus and special congratulations and thanks to fresh Sacerdos Concordiae Lentulus and Sacerdos Mercurialis Sabinus. All of them have agreed to bring the whole help that their dignity could bring us. Because more than ever, these Games of the Founders need the protection and support of Gods.

First because ten years are important in the life of the Republic. This a appropriate time to look backward, to think on the way done, but also to celebrate this wonderful idea that our Patres Patriae Cassius and Vedius had: to reactivate the flames of Rome. These flames, our Vestalis Messallina will once again, but with a special attention, watch on them on next special Vesta's ceremony this 1st of March, after sunset. For during this first day of March, the day when our Patres did reopen the door of our Roman house, we will have a lot of ceremonies, that will belong at the same time to our Ludi and be a part of the attention that our consuls have willed giving this day.

We also need to remind how our Gods are a part of ourselves, when, a few hours ago, the doubt was in the city, hard discussions in its street and disputes in its forum.

Naturally the Gods cannot be satisfied when seeing our collegium pontificum which cannot give the best of itself, though the high quality of every individual who sit in it. Naturally Gods may be angry when they see that we need several years to set difficulties that good organization, good management and fair direct human relations might have quick smoothed on. Naturally they may when they see that individual interest or thoughts might be preferred to our res publica's one, or when high magistrates or priests forget to respect our fastii or underestimate their own gravitas and auctoritas.

But sure that you will be angry, you our old, dear and still active Gods of Rome, you Jupiter, Mars, Fides, Fornax, our Lares et Manes, Janus, Juno, Vesta, Minreva, Neptunus, if ever you understand that we are not able, just for the short time of our Ludi Conditorum, just for this time in homage of our Elders and our Dead, just for a week, to welcome Concordia, that many here, and first of them our Consuls, wished to bring us her light.

This is why, Romani, I have written to you, and to all ours Pontifices, Augures and Sacerdotes, to all our Senatores and all our Magistrates around our consuls, to take a full conscience of this special time, and of the efforts we are all to do for our 10th birthday.

We have just in February, purified our homes, prayed for a new deal between our Gods and our families. We have renewed our private and family shrines. Will we offend the shrines of the Republic by going on quarrelling, beginning trials or legal actions which the Gods are waiting that we forget them, during our Ludi Conditorum, just during a small week?!

The auspices that we have taken this morning, at dawn, as curule magistrates in charge of these Ludi, have been favorable. Let us not darken them, and have the risk of prodigia, or a direct punition from the Gods.

But let us have Ludi, Quirites! Today, you will have Gladiatoria with Qu. Vitellius, just after this ceremony! For those interested in answering historical questions, you will have, at the same time, a Certamen with Hon. Marcius ! Tomorrow is Equirria, and we will organize, as it had not been for a long time, our ancient race all around these streets, here, in Campus Martius.

Tomorrow also, after Flamen Cincinnatus rituals, we will have a thought for the Declaratio of Nova Roma's 10th birthday, and you will be able to hear its reading by Sacerdos Lentulus. Let us listen to him, to the Declaratio's words, and think on what had been wished 10 years ago, done, or what may be changed or kept today in our Republic. The day after, we will pray Fornax dea for our Fornacalia, but also our Lares and Manes, and we ask you all to have a thought for the Novi Romani who have died since 2751 a.u.c.. Just have a thought for them during the day, or in the evening, when Praetoria Tullia will unveil a special marble stone for them.

Then will come our Kalends of March, and between our Princeps Senatus and our Consuls, dea Concordia will speak by the voice of her Sacerdos. Let us stop our activities during this short parenthesis, and ask ourselves what we can do, each of us, for the unity of the State. This day, our traditional Matronalia, might also be exceptionally designed, this year and by senatus consultum, as Concordalia.

Father Iuppiter, who is looking on us, Mars whose month will begin, you Concordia and all legions of Gods who defend us when we need and strenghten our arm when necessary, watch on the Games of our Founders, give Rome and Nova Roma new force, new breath, new wisdom, and the quiet certitude that our renewed history is just beginning!

Aed. cur. Lucilius is now standing while Memmius is sitting. He observes twelve seconds of silence, one for every month of the old beginning year. Then he rises the right arm and says:

"Quirites!

I, Sextus Lucilius Tutor, with the support of our Gods, I officially declare our Ludi Conditorum open!"

No use that I tell you the reaction of the crowd: you are hearing it! Now in a few minutes, the Munera Gladiatoria will take place in the Flavian amphitheater. Here Publius Concordianus Pauper for C.L.C., and it is 16:45 this 27th February. Tomorrow Equirria!""

More information on the Ludi schedule at :

Ludi Conditorum 2761 AUC