Ludi Novi Romani/MMDCCLXVI/Certamen Historicum

RULES:

1. Questions are posted daily, one question per one day, each question remembering one year of Nova Roman history. There will be 15 questions in total.

2. There are points for correctness and points for quickness of answers.

3. Each correct answer is worth 1 point. An extra point may be awarded for an especially detailed and excellent answer. Half point may be given for an incomplete but otherwise correct answer.

4. For each question, the contestant who is first to answer that question, regardless to its correctness, gets 3 speed points for quickness. The second person to answer the question gets 2 speed points, the third person gets 1 speed point. The rest of the answers get no speed points.

5. In case of a tie between the contestants, the winner is whose points of correctness are the higher. If these are tie, too, points for quickness must be compared. If it's a tie again, the jury will decide upon examination and comparison of the quality of their answers.

6. Answers are to be sent to this e-mail address before the official publishing of the correct answers on the mailing lists of Nova Roma, at the end of the 15 days.

Day 1 (March 1st) - Year 1 (1998)

Question #1. In the first year of Nova Roma, who were the original members of the senate?

• Answer #1. Fl. Vedius Germanicus, M. Cassius Iulianus, Q. Caecilius Metellus, Dec. Iunius Palladius.

Day 2 (March 2nd) - Year 2 (1999)

Question #2. Name three of the reasons (there may be more) why the senate appointed Fl. Vedius Germanicus dictator of Nova Roma in our second year.

• Answer #2. The elections Fl. Vedio M. Cassio cos. ‡ MMDCCLI a.u.c. were not conducted by tribes and centuries because at that point the people had not been allocated to tribes and centuries. The constitution as it then was required elections to be conducted by tribes and centuries, and some people believed that the elections which had been held were legally invalid and thus the republic had no legitimate magistrates. Allocating the people to tribes and centuries was the responsibility of the censores. Some time in the first half of L. Equitio Dec. Iunio cos. ‡ MMDCCLII a.u.c. there was, or was perceived to be, a move to have the censores called to account in some way (the word "impeached" was used, at least in later accounts, despite the fact that impeachment was not legal under the Constitution at that time). In response to that move, or to the perception of such a move, another group temporarily shut down the website and declared an intercessio of the Republic, under the authority of the non-profit corporation. This resulted in the formation of one or more new groups which claimed to be continuations of the republic. a few days the website &c. were restored and the alternative groups closed down, apparently by the agreement of all concerned. After a few days the website &c. were restored and the alternative groups closed down, apparently by the agreement of all concerned. In due course the senate called on Flavius Vedius Germanicus to become dictator and to deal with these problems fairly, decisively and legally. The constitution needed to be reformed, the government did not work appropriately with the non profit corporation and the fact that the problems couldn't be resolved due to the current ill feelings left the leading parties of the time to feel there was no alternative but to appoint a dictator. This led to the previous elections declared nullified and Lucius Equitius Cincinnatus was banned for 10 years.

Day 3 (March 3rd) - Year 3 (2000)

Question #3. In the third year of Nova Roma, an important step was made towards advancing the cause of our sacred national language, the language of the Romans, Latin. What institution was formed in Nova Roma and approved by the senate in 2753 AUC?

• Answer #3. The Sodalitas Latinitatis, the Latin Society of Nova Roma.

Day 4 (March 4th) - Year 4 (2001)

Question #4. What happened on the Ides of March in the fourth year of Nova Roma? Why did it happen?

• Answer #4. On the Ides of March Fl. Vedio (II) M. Cassio (II) cos. ‡ MMDCCLIV a.u.c. a large group of citizens resigned from Nova Roma. Many were individuals who had served in various offices of Nova Roma for a number of years. People left because they had a different vision of what Nova Roma should be, they did not like the way Nova Roma was being run, and they disliked fighting all the time.

Day 5 (March 5th) - Year 5 (2002)

Question #5. There was a change regarding the corporate entity of Nova Roma in the fifth year of our history. What was this change?

• Answer #5. Nova Roma moved its incorporation from New Hampshire to Maine.

Day 6 (March 6th) - Year 6 (2003)

Question #6. In our sixth year, Nova Roma organized its 2nd Conventus, international convention. What was the event called back then, and who was its highest ranking participant?

• Answer #6. It was called "Nova Roma Rally", and the highest ranking participant was the year's consul, K. Fabius Buteo Quintilianus.

Day 7 (March 7th) - Year 7 (2004)

Question #7. The seventh year of our republic saw a healthy and vibrant electoral campaign for the consulship. Who were the candidates in our seventh year for next year's consulship, and who presided over the consular elections?

• Answer #7. The candidates for the consulship were: Pompeia Minucia Strabo, Fr. Apulus Caesar, C. Modius Athanasius (later known as K. Fabius Budeo Modianus), and C. Popillius Laenas. The magistrate presiding over the consular elections was consul Cn. Equitius Marinus.

Day 8 (March 8th) - Year 8 (2005)

Question #8. A new tradition and recurring event was instituted in the eighth year of Nova Roma, the Nova Roman Legion Summer Camp in Pannonia, a yearly summer event of Nova Roma, which is open to international participants from Nova Roma worldwide. When was exactly our first Roman Legion Summer Camp held in Szolnok city, Hungary (give exact dates from which day/month to which day/month)?

• Answer #8. From 17 July to 23 July.

Day 9 (March 9th) - Year 9 (2006)

Question #9. The next achievement of Nova Roma was introduced as a surprise on the Parilia of our ninth year (on the birthday of the ancient city of Rome). What was this new institution? Name three persons who participated in its creation.

• Answer #9. The podcast of Nova Roma, the "Vox Romana". People who participated in its creation: M. Hortensia Maior, C. Curius Saturninus, A. Tullia Scholastica, A. Apollonius Cordus, M. Horatius Piscinus, A. Gratius Avitus, Cn. Salvius Astur, P. Memmius Albucius, L. Arminius Faustus.

Day 10 (March 10th) - Year 10 (2007)

Question #10. Our tenth year was one of the last years of active legislation within Nova Roma: how many laws were passed by the comitia in that year?

• Answer #10. Five laws, two of them are still in force.

Day 11 (March 11th) - Year 11 (2008)

Question #11. The eleventh year of Nova Roma was consecrated to the Tenth Anniversary of our republic, the first Sacred Year of Concordia. That year, full of celebrations and solemn sacrifices, saw the rare moment when both consuls could come together to perform a sacrifice, to Hercules for the Tenth Anniversary and for the strength and future success of Nova Roma. This was recorded on video as well. Where did they perform this sacrificial ceremony? In your answer, give a link to the video of the ceremony.

• Answer #11. At the VIth Conventus Novae Romae, Provincia Dacia of Nova Roma, in the city Herculane, Romania. The link to the video is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVBwjACnRr8&list=PL7121C0874693FF89&index=7

Day 12 (March 12th) - Year 12 (2009)

Question #12. Sadly, our online university, the Academia Thules ceased to offer courses from our twelveth year, and it has finally closed its doors soon. Name five of the course titles that were offered by Academia Thules.

• Answer #12. Some examples of course titles: Introduction to the study of Antiquities, What is Archaeology, Ancient Way of Life, Classical Archaeology, Sources for Ancient History, Art and Roman representation, Economical History and Roman Baths, Roman Religion, Roman Civilization, Roman Republic, Roman Law, Sermo Latinus, Grammatica Latina, Rudimenta Latina, Litteræ Classicæ, Introduction to ancient rhetoric, Basics of rhetoric, Cicero, Quintilianus, Roman Military, Theology, Introduction to Nova Roma and Roman organizations; and many other courses not listed here...

Day 13 (March 13th) - Year 13 (2010)

Question #13. Our thirteenth year was an unlucky period, plagued by infinite infightings. Amongst the chaotic events, a dictator was appointed by the senate who never entered office, because the senate session appointing the dictator soon was declared irregular and the office itself considered illegal per Maine corporate law (despite the fact that the office was once already filled in by Fl. Vedius Germanicus in our second year). Name at least two reasons why the senate wanted to appoint the dictator. Who was the dictator-elect?

• Answer #13. The senate wanted appoint a dictator to resolve the ongoing crises; to oversee the rewriting of corporate bylaws for Nova Roma, Inc., to have the Constitution and subordinate laws reviewed for the purpose of amending or replacing them as are necessary to protect the res publica from harm, to resolve the IT issues that threaten our website and on which the functions of the respublica rely, to restructure voting procedures to make them robust against loss of technical programs or equipment, to simplify the magisterial structure to provide fewer magistrates with better defined roles. The dictator-elect was Cn. Equitius Marinus.

Day 14 (March 14th) - Year 14 (2011)

Question #14. As the result of the previous internal conflicts, the fourteenth year of Nova Roma started with a sad series of resignations of disappointed citizens renouncing their citizenship, continued by the expulsion of two leading citizens from the faction defeated in the conflict. Among our losses, there was a high priest installed only some days before his resignation, who has just been appointed to fill the most sacred office in our republic, never filled in previously in Nova Roma. Who was this person and what was his priesthood filled by him first?

• Answer #14. He was K. Fabius Buteo Modianus, the rex sacrorum.

Day 15 (March 15th) - Year 15 (2012)

Question #15. Our fifteenth year was a year of recovering from our losses, a year of getting over the past, and opeing a new era of stronger unity. Let's use this last question of ours to look back to one of the most significant achievements of the 15 years history of Nova Roma, and to solve a puzzle where I don't give you any reference to year, and which can lead you to any of our 15 years. The moment of Nova Roma closest to "worldfame" was when world-acclaimed author of "The Thorn Birds" and Roman themed novel series "Masters of Rome", Dr. Colleen McCullough participated in a Nova Roman event, alongside with Prof. Dr. Peter Wiseman (Fellow of the Society of Antiquities, Honorary DLitt, President of the Roman Society, Vice-President of the British Academy). What was this event? When was it organized?

• Answer #15. This event was the "Certamen Petronianum", and it was organized Fr. Apulo C. Laenate cos. ‡ MMDCCLVIII a.u.c.. The closing date for entries was 30th June, 2005.

Final Results

The scores and final positions are:

• 1st Place: C. Veturia Sacerdos - 50.5 pts
• 2nd Place: Ti. Galerius Paulinus - 26.5 pts
• 3rd Place: Ap. Gratia Avita - 14 pts