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Twenty years ago on this date, Nova Roma was founded thanks in large measure to Cassius and Vedius, whom we shall always honor. Our Republic has since spread far and wide and the historic body of our citizenship numbers in the thousands. Having reached this milestone, we should all be proud of our Republic's achievements. It is not an exaggeration to say that Nova Roma is the major proponent in today's world of Romanitas. On the Ides of October last, we celebrated the technical completion of Nova Roma's founding at the October Horse ritual under the organization of Pontifex Lentulus.

In a few weeks, dozens of our citizens will meet in our eternal home city at the Parilia to celebrate the Birthday of Rome. Amidst the festivities and parades, plans for our future activity will be discussed and we are open to any suggestions you may have. Local activity energizes the heartbeat of Nova Roma. Participate! We recently emerged from a difficult period and now that we are once again free and active our future is unlimited. May the gods look with favor upon our Republic and upon all of our citizens, associates and friends. Let the games begin!

Concordialia ritual this year for the 20th Anniversary

Pontifex Cn. Cornelius Lentulus is offering the Concordialia ritual today (1st March) for the 20th Anniversary of Nova Roma. Cn. Lentulus will offer the main Concordia-ritual for the jubilee, and a sacrifice to Iuppiter, Mars, Iuno and Dea Nova Roma. It will be a gathering and grand celebration of the 20th birthday of Nova Roma with 5 different Roman reenactor communities affiliated to Nova Roma coming together in honor of this milestone in New Roman History. There will be a magnificent sacrifice to Concordia, patroness of Nova Roma, there will be gladiatorial combats, which will be part of the online gladiatorial games, a legionary parade, wine, Roman food, cookies and the good company of Nova Romans. A big celebration and gathering!

REMEMBERING: Looking back to the 10th Anniversary

A chorus of young Nova Roman citizens performing the Carmen Decennale "Rome To New Rome" by P. Ullerius Stephanus Venator, a poem written for celebrating the ten years of Nova Roma

Recall the memories of the 10th Anniversary, one decade ago, and watch the video made about the 10th Anniversary Concordialia sacrificial ceremony here:

• CONCORDIALIA, THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY - VIDEO

The video was made about the official 10th Anniversary Celebration of the founding of Nova Roma, the 10th birthday of Nova Roma, held on the Kalends of March, 2761 AUC, organized by Cn. Cornelius Lentulus.

You can also hear the reading of the Latin variant of the Declaration of Nova Roma, our founding document, with subtitles, captured on the same day, recorded by Cn. Lentulus.

• DECLARATIO NOVAE ROMAE - VIDEO

Last year's Concordialia photo and video report

You can remember the opening of our Sacred 20th Year at last year's Concordialia, when we celebrated our 19th Anniversary.

• PHOTOS and VIDEOS about last year's Concordialia celebration

Opening of the Ludi Novi Romani

P. Annæus Constantinus Placidus Quiritibus salutem plurimam dicit.

It is with the utmost pleasure, and great personal joy, that I am hereby announcing the official Opening of this Twentieth Anniversary Edition of Ludi Novi Romani. Yes, you read it well: Twentieth Anniversary. Indeed, I have a feeling that it may surely look and seem like it was not anything longer than yesterday, or maybe the day before yesterday, that our founding forefathers Cassius and Vedius first came up with the idea of a community where people from all over the world, linked by a common interest towards the history, the culture, the religion and the virtues of Ancient Rome, could meet up and share with each other their views on what their common interest was about, and, in the hustle and bustle of our frantic, noisy, overcrowded 21st-century lives, try to find at least some semblance of a place where we all could live according to our ancestors' costumes... it does indeed seem quite a short time, yet it is twenty full years that such a place exists. Its name is NOVA ROMA. And, in spite of everything that may currently be happening within our beloved Republic, I think I am very much entitled to still see it as, first and foremost, an ideal meeting place.

This Sacred Year of Concordia will make a change in Nova Roma history, I can feel it. It is in this communal, meet-up spirit that these Ludi Novi Romani are meant to be celebrated. These games will include Ludi Circenses (a Virtual Chariot Race), Munera Gladiatoria, a history contest, a literary contest, Latin language contests and quizzes, and more. In the next few days, detailed announcements will be posted about all this. However, right now, I just would like not to waste any further time on preambles, introductions and other such verbosities. So, I hereby declare these 20th Anniversary Ludi Novi Romani officially OPEN!

Optime valete omnes,

Publius Annæus Constantinus Placidus

Program of the Vicennial Ludi Novi Romani

The Ceremonies

1 March - Concordialia: The Opening of the 20th Birthday Celebration of Nova Roma

On March 1st, the day of the Concordialia (the Day of Roman Unity), pontifex Cn. Lentulus held the live central celebration of the 20th Anniversary where approximately 20 Nova Roman citizens were present in Aquincum, Budapest. Cn. Lentulus offered the main Concordia-ritual for the jubilee, and a sacrifice to Iuppiter, Mars, Iuno and Dea Nova Roma. It was a gathering and grand celebration of the 20th birthday of Nova Roma with 5 different Roman reenactor communities affiliated to Nova Roma coming together in honor of this milestone in New Roman History. There was a magnificent sacrifice to Concordia, patroness of Nova Roma, there were gladiatorial combats, which are also part of the online gladiatorial games, a legionary parade, wine, Roman food, cookies and the good company of Nova Romans. A big celebration and gathering!

At the same time, all priests, governors and officials of Nova Roma, who aren't able to be present in person, were offering rituals to Concordia, Iuppiter and Mars for our 20th Anniversary, at their location.

• Photos and videos: https://www.facebook.com/novaroma.org/posts/10156748543576002

3 March - "Seuso Treasures, Day 1": Priceless ancient Roman artefacts salute our 20th Anniversary

On 3rd March, as part of the Ludi Novi Romani, the 20th Anniversary of Nova Roma was celebrated by a very special festive program of Nova Roma held at a museum event featuring the world-famous Seuso Treasure, where pontifex Cn. Lentulus offered a ritual to Concordia, Iuppiter, Mars, Quirinus and Pales. Nova Roma's Colonia Rostallo, led by praefectus C. Villius Vulso, has presented the world-famous Seuso Treasure within the frames of the programs of the Ludi Novi Romani, celebrating the completion of Nova Roma's second decade. The Cohors VI Carpathica, the military unit assigned to the burgus Colonia Rostallo of Nova Roma, has deserved this privilege for their constant dedicated and high quality educational service in this region. Nova Roma was commemorated during the event, and newspaper and television reports were made about our appearance. Nova Romans were in the television while celebrating the 20th Anniversary of Nova Roma! It is a great honor to our Colonia Rostallo and to the entire Nova Roma that we have been selected to provide the show and festival for the Seuso Treasure which is one of the most important treasures that remained from the Roman age. These priceless ancient Roman artefacts saluted our 20th Anniversary, quite an honor!

The programs included the presentation of the Seuso Treasure, legionary honor guard and drill by the Cohors VI Carpathica, Roman ritual by praefectus rei publicae Cn. Lentulus for the 20th Anniversary blessings of the new decade of Nova Roma, Roman fashion, games and competitions in the spirit of the Ludi Novi Romani.

The following article with photos is the first report of the "Seuso Treasure" edition of the 20th Anniversary Ludi Novi Romani:

• Photos: http://minap.hu/cikkek/legionariusok-seuso-kiallitason

4 March - "Seuso Treasures, Day 2": Art and Roman military culture

On March 4, the Nova Roman games continue in the city of Miskolc where the Nova Romans of burgus Colonia Rostallo and the Cohors VI Carpathica cooperate with the Herman Ottó Museum presenting the world-famous Seuso Treasure. The cohors provided various Roman programs to mark our anniversary in public.

• 'Photos: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=1771150049614860&id=811025762293965

5 March - Sacrifice to Falacer

On March 5, Cn. Lentulus pontifex offered a sacrifice to Falacer and Concordia and Flora, asking their blessing on our 20th Anniversary Year, the Sacred Year of Concordia, on the Ludi Novi Romani.

6 March - Holiday of Vesta

On March 6, Cn. Lentulus pontifex offered a sacrifice to Vesta and the Penates, as according to the "Feriale Cumanum" this day was a holiday of the goddess and the Penates. The sacrifice to Vesta and the Penates was accompanied with a sacrifice to Concordia and Flora, asking their blessing on our celebrations, on the Conventus in Rome, and on the new decade of Nova Roma.

7 March - Holiday of Veiovis

On March 7, the holiday of Veiovis, Cn. Lentulus performed a ritual to Veiovis, asking his blessing on our celebrations, the Ludi Novi Romani, on the upcoming Conventus in Rome, and on the new decade of Nova Roma. Veiovis is one of the most Roman and most obscure deities of our culture, a good of healing, protector of newcomers and the prosecuted, sometimes considered to be the "inverse self of Iuppiter", one of the gods whose cult makes Rome Roman. It was accompanied with a sacrifice to Concordia as we are celebrating our patron goddess Concordia every day during the Ludi Novi Romani which are also called the Ludi Concordiales.

9 March - Holiday of Mars Gradivus

The day of Mars Gradivus, which is now part of the ongoing Ludi Novi Romani in honor of our 20th Anniversary, was day of the Salii's ritual in ancient Rome. Mars Gradivus, i.e. "Mars the Marching", was one of the gods by whom a general or soldiers might swear an oath to be valorous in battle. His temple outside the Porta Capena was where armies gathered. The Salii, the "leaping priests", were the archaic priesthood of Mars Gradivus who danced ritually in armor as a prelude to war, while they carried the sacred "ancile" (shields of Mars) which was part of the "Pignora Imperii" of Rome. He was the most implacable of the gods. Gradivus is often asked to "guard, preserve, and protect" the State of Rome. It's Mars Gradivus whom we need to march on and on, never giving up the most beautiful dream of mankind, the restoration of the populus Romanus.

We don't have Salii to perform their ritual march (this so called leaping "dance"), as it would be due today. However, the citizens of Nova Roma joined, in their homes separately, to a chanting of the sacred carmen of the Salii. It's one of the oldest and most sacred texts the Romans left to us, it's older than classical Latin itself. Not even the Romans knew what it meant, but they knew they could thank the fortune of the Roman Empire to this charm. A number of our citizens read it aloud in their homes to honor Roman tradition and to ask Mars' favor to Nova Roma.

For the most festive occasion, a new ending section was added to the carmen to deliver this charm's effects to Nova Roma, and pontifex Lentulus performed a small ritual "leaping" while holding the "Pignora Imperii" of Nova Roma which were established, inaugurated and consecrated last year at the Completion of the Founding of the Nova Roman People on the Ides of October, the day of the October Horse.

This was the Carmen Saliare augmented with the special ending for the 20th Anniversary of Nova Roma:

14 March - Equirria or Mamuralia

Cn. Lentulus has performed a ritual to Mars Mamurius whose holiday, the Second Equirria is held on March 14, and in Nova Roma, we hold it as part of the Ludi Novi Romani anniversary celebrations. Along with Mars, a sacrifice was performed to Concordia, Furrina, Pomona and Portunus, in order to ask their support for the next decade of Nova Roma.

15 March - Holiday of Anna Perenna: The Closing of the Ludi Novi Romani

Anna Perenna's day closes the celebration of the existence of Nova Roma: she is the goddess of longevity and eternity. That our celebrations close with her name it is not by chance, the collegium pontificum decreed this many years ago in order to add an emphasis to our wishes and prayers: that Nova Roma may live and prosper forever - until Rome is restored.

Two real life grand ceremonies took place on the Ides of March (15 March) to close the 20th Birthday celebration of Nova Roma: one in Budapest, the Roman Aquincum, and the other in Poltava, Ukraine.

The live Closing Ceremony of the Ludi Novi Romani, with the festival of Anna Perenna, took place in the amphitheatrum of Aquincum. Q. Arrius Nauta presided over the event, along with Ti. Fabius Nepos, Cn. Cornelius Lentulus and C. Sergia Blatta, accompanied by citizens and reenactor soldiers of Pannonia. There was a small military parade, followed by the Anna Perenna ritual and the closing sacrifice to Concordia, Mars, Iuppiter, Quirinus, Falacer, Flora, Carmenta, Ceres, Pales-Palatua, Volturnus, Vulcanus, the Di Penates, Di Manes and Dea Nova Roma. After that, the attending citizens drunk some glasses of wine, because Roman tradition says that the number of glasses of wine one drinks at the day of Anna Perenna (March 15), that will be the number of years one will yet live, so one must drink at least one glass of wine in order to see the next Ides of March.

At the same time, at the temple of Iuppiter in Ukraine, our former priest, M. Octavius Corvus, performed a grand sacrifice for the 20th Anniversary of Nova Roma and for the closing of our Ludi Novi Romani. This has been recorded by video camera, and tomorrow it will be published!

This has been the celebration of Concord, and by Condord, we reach Perennity, Anna Perenna will lead us to a new, successful, glorious and happy decade of Nova Roma!

• Photos and videos: coming soon

The Games

• Live Munera Gladiatoria: Live gladiatorial combat with online participation in Aquincum (March 1-15)
• Virtual Ludi Circenses: virtual chariot races (March 1-15)
• Historical Contest of Q. Catulus: an old style Nova Roman e-mail quiz (March 1-15)
• Certamen Historicum Antiquum: online history quiz game ancient Roman history (March 1-15)
• Certamen Historicum Novum Romanum: online history quiz game about Nova Roma's history (March 5-24)
• Certamen Mythologicum: online mythology quiz game ancient Graeco-Roman mythology (March 1-15)
• Ipse Dixit Quiz - The 20th Anniversary Edition: online Latin contest about famous proverbs (March 3-15)
• Literary Contest: "20 Years of Nova Roma" - write poem or prose in honor of NR (October 1)
• Visual Art Contest: "20 Years of Nova Roma" - submit visual art, e.g. photo, video in honor of NR (October 1)

Live Munera Gladiatoria

See all information, rules, questions and answers about the gladiatorial games here:

• Ludi Novi Romani/MMDCCLXXI/Ludi circenses

The Prize

The prize for the winner is the "I, Gladiator" gladiator combat simulator computer game.

Final Results

The final results of the gladiatorial betting games for Ludi Novi Romani 2771:

• The winner of the bet: C. Cornelius Barosus

Virtual Ludi Circenses

See all information, rules, questions and answers about the virtual chariot races here:

• Ludi Novi Romani/MMDCCLXXI/Ludi circenses

The Prize

The prize for the winner is the "Rome Circus Maximus: Chariot Race VR" gladiator combat simulator computer game.

Final Results

The final results of the Chariot Races for Ludi Novi Romani 2771:

• 1st Place: Q. Septimius Niger
• 2nd Place: M. Pompeius Caninus
• 3rd Place: C. Claudius Nero

Old Style Historical Contest of Q. Catulus

See all information, rules, questions and answers about the Old Style Historical Contest of Q. Catulus in our mailing lists.

The Prize

The prize for the winner is the a genuine original ancient Roman coin.

Final Results

The final results for the Old Style Historical Contest of Q. Catulus for Ludi Novi Romani 2771:

• 1st Place: Q. Septimius Niger
• 2nd Place: M. Pompeius Caninus
• 3rd Place: M. Claudius Nero

Certamen Historicum Antiquum

See all information, rules, questions and answers about the Ancient Roman History Quiz here:

• Ludi Novi Romani/MMDCCLXXI/Certamen Historicum Antiquum

The Prize

The prize for the winner is the book "SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome" by Prof. Mary Beard.

Final Results

The final results for the Certamen Historicum Antiquum for Ludi Novi Romani 2771:

• 1st Place:
• 2nd Place:
• 3rd Place:

Certamen Historicum Novum Romanum

See all information, rules, questions and answers about our contest on Nova Roma history:

• Ludi Novi Romani/MMDCCLXXI/Certamen Historicum Novum Romanum

The Prize

The prize for the winner is a consecrated flag of Nova Roma.

Final Results

The final results for the Certamen Historicum Novum Romanum for Ludi Novi Romani 2771:

• 1st Place:
• 2nd Place:
• 3rd Place:

Ipse Dixit Quiz

See all information, rules, questions and answers about our Latin Quiz here:

• Ludi Novi Romani/MMDCCLXXI/Ipse Dixit Quiz - The 20th Anniversary Edition

The Prize

The prize for the winner is a genuine original ancient Roman coin.

Final Results

The final results for the Ipse Dixit Quiz for Ludi Novi Romani 2771:

• 1st Place: Q. Septimius Niger - 51 pts
• 2nd Place: Sex. Lania Murena (honorary winner, tied) - 51 pts
• 3rd Place: M. Pompeius Caninus - 50 pts
• 4th Place: M. Aemilius Agricola - 48 pts
• 5th Place: M. Claudius Nero - 25 pts (did not answer to Items 5 and 6)

Certamen Mythologicum

See all information, rules, questions and answers about the Certamen Mythologicum in our mailing lists.

Final Results

The final results for the Certamen Mythologicum for Ludi Novi Romani 2771:

• 1st Place: Q. Septimius Niger
• 2nd Place: M. Pompeius Caninus

Literary Contest: "20 Years of Nova Roma"

Write a poem or a prose work that celebrates the 20 years-old Nova Roma. There are no rules! It can be poem or prose, and you have to send it to Cn. Cornelius Lentulus until 1 October.

Final Results

The final results for the Literary Contest for Ludi Novi Romani 2771, in two categories, poetry and prose:

• 1st Place:
• 2nd Place:
• 3rd Place:

Visual Art Contest: "20 Years of Nova Roma"

In the spirit of celebrating the 20 years of Nova Roma, create a photo, video, picture montage, painting, drawing, music mix with photos, or anything visible, and upload to any place where it can be seen (for example YouTube). There are no rules! You have to send it to Cn. Cornelius Lentulus until 1 October.

Final Results

The final results for the Visual Art Contest for Ludi Novi Romani 2771:

• 1st Place:
• 2nd Place:
• 3rd Place: