Nova Romanitas

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The Via Romana is the Roman way of life. It is the direct application of Roman ethics, virtues, and philosophies in everyday life. It is one of the the goals of Nova Roma to promote the Via Romana among its citizens.

Of great importance to the Via Romana are the Roman Virtues; those qualities which define the ideal state of being and behavior of the Roman citizen. While no one can ever completely and perfectly embody the Virtues, they remain as the goal towards which we strive, and serve as the benchmark against which we may measure ourselves.

The Via Romana also includes the various philosophical schools that were active in the historical Roman Empire. Chief among these were the Stoics and the Epicureans, although various other, less well represented, schools existed as well. Roman philosophy provides what the Religio Romana does not (nor does it try to); a coherent moral code for personal behavior. Thus, while most citizens of Nova Roma are practitioners of the Religio Romana (to one or another extent), the choice of personal philosophy allows the individual to express his or her personal moral and cosmological inclinations within the larger framework of Roman society and religion. This separation of personal philosophy and religion is one of the most healthy aspects of the Religio Romana, and one of the reasons it is so uniquely suited for modern times.

Finally, the Via Romana, in the modern context, refers to the general study and practice of Roman culture. As with all aspects of NOVA ROMA, the extent to which any given citizen indulges in this area is up to his or her own inclination; but it is certainly encouraged. This includes the learning and use of the Latin language, the study and reenactment of Roman arts (including historical military reenactment), the production of Roman drama, the study of Roman history, and a wide variety of other pursuits. It is as part of the Via Romana that citizens are expected to take up Roman names for use within our society. Similarly, each citizen is considered to be a member of one of the gentes (clans); new citizens may either join an existing gentes or may petition the Censores to form a new gens.

As with all things that make up the Via Romana, the emphasis is on the practical application of these arts and this knowledge in our everyday lives. We study Rome because we seek to emulate Rome; we emulate Rome because we admire Rome.

Vide

• Roman numerals
• Roman dates
• Roman Cooking
• Roman Clothing and Equipment
• Latin Language