Titus Flavius Aquila S.P.D.

I, too, would be interested in a Nova Roman Citizen Certificate .

I would also support the idea to have a general sign of belonging
together, a sign which
citizens would recognize as being aligned all over the world, how about
having a ring ?
Just an idea....

Valete
Titus Flavius Aquila





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Anyone on this list located in Colorado?

Salve!

Look in Photos/Miscellaneous at the SPQR ring. I wear mine every day.

We had a buying group a couple years ago.

Optime vale

Agricola

--- In Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com, Thomas Vogel <tvogel@...> wrote:
>
> Titus Flavius Aquila S.P.D.
>
> I, too, would be interested in a Nova Roman Citizen Certificate .
>
> I would also support the idea to have a general sign of belonging
> together, a sign which
> citizens would recognize as being aligned all over the world, how about
> having a ring ?
> Just an idea....
>
> Valete
> Titus Flavius Aquila
>
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

--- In Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com, "Chris" <chrisb5401@...> wrote:

>
> Anyone on this list located in Colorado?
>

You can check here:
http://www.novaroma.org/nr/Provincia_America_Austroccidentalis_%28Nova_Roma%29

Optime vale!

Agricola

MARCH KALENDS RITUAL FOR JANUS

PRAEPARATIO:
In preparation for the rite, I woke before sunrise and I cleaned and
incensed my shrine to Ianus. Then I bathed in preparation, garbed in
toga, capite velato I offered to my Lares and lit the focus with
prayers and offerings to Mother Vesta, Goddess of the Hearth Fire. The
birds were singing when I startedÂ…

PRAEFATIO:
- Silentium: "Procul, O procul, este profane!"

I then washed my hands: "Haec aqua a corpore impuritates eluat, ut
pluvial aera purgat."

"Be well, Father Janus, Beginner of all things. Open please, the
Celestial Gates and look kindly and favorably on the Kalends ritual I
hold in your honor." (Incense and wine are offered)

"Be well, Queen Juno, look down and preserve us. Accept this offering
of incense and look kindly and favorably upon me and the Senate and
people of Nova Roma." (Incense is placed in focus)

"Queen Juno, in addition to my virtuous offering of incense, be
honored by this offering of wine that I pour in libation. May you look
kindly and favorably upon the Senate and people of Nova Roma."
(Libation is poured for the Goddess)

SACRIFICATIO:
Hands are washed again.
"Hear me Father Janus, who was before all the Gods, from whom all
things proceed, graciously lend your ears to my prayers, on this, the
Kalends of March. Janus Junonius, beginner of the month, attend and
bless your Senators and those of the people of Nova Roma, the Quirites."

Offer incense:
"Father Janus, by offering this incense to You I pray good prayers,
that you will look kindly and favorably upon me and the Senate and
People of Nova Roma."

Offer Libation:
"Father Janus, in addition to my virtuous offering of incense, be
honored by this offering of wine in libation and look kindly and
favorably upon me and the Senate and People of Nova Roma."

- Praecatio:
"Origin of the Gods, Janus, you who begins the year, the month, and
the day, you who when you appear the long ages are renewed, to you
Janus Junonius it is proper for offerings to be given at the beginning
of the month. On this day, the Kalends of March, may you accept these
offerings of libum cakes, honey and wine and bless the entire nation
of Nova Roma. Janus Junonius, may you be pleased by these offerings
and may the Senate and people of Nova Roma have what is goodly,
auspicious, fruitful, fortunate, and wholesome."

"Father Janus, to You I pray good prayers, offering You this pile of
cakes, so that you might willing be favorable to me and the Senate and
People of Nova Roma."

"Father Janus, I offer You this honey, so that You may be increased
and so that You may look kindly and favorably upon me and the Senate
and People of Nova Roma." (drizzle honey over libum cakes.)

"Father Janus, for the same reasons given in the good prayers while
offering You piled cakes and honey, may You accept and be honored by
this portion of wine I pour."

"Father Janus, may the Senate and People of Nova Roma have what is
goodly, auspicious, fruitful, fortunate and wholesome. For these
reasons have I this day offered these sacrifices to you, Janus, God of
good beginnings."


LITATIO:
"Father Janus, I deservedly give great thanks for attending and
bearing witness to my rite."
(Offer incense and libation)

"Queen Juno, I deservedly give great thanks for attending and bearing
witness to my rite."
(Offer incense and libation)

"Mother Vesta, I deservedly give great thanks for attending and
bearing witness to my rite."
(Offer incense and libation)

"No more, Gods on high, do I ask of You today; it is enough."

PIACULUM:
"Gods Immortal, if anything I have done in this ceremony has been
incorrect, incomplete or otherwise displeasing to You, I ask
forgiveness with this offering of incense."

"Gods Immortal, if anything I have done in this ceremony has been
incorrect, incomplete or otherwise displeasing to You, I ask
forgiveness with this portion of wine I pour."

PERLITATIO:
I observed a sign ritual offerings were accepted.


Vale optime in pace Deorum.

Lucius Cassius Cornutus
Sacerdos Iani

OSD C. Equitius Cato

Salvete omnes!

Hodie est Kalendis Martiis; haec dies nefastus publicus est.

"Come Mars, God of War, lay aside your shield and spear:
A moment, from your helmet, free your shining hair.
What has a poet to do with Mars, you might ask?
The month I sing of takes its name from you.
You see, yourself, fierce wars waged by Minerva:
Is she less free to practice the noble arts for that?
Take time to set aside you lance and follow Pallas'
Example: and find something to do while unarmed...
`If it's right for the secret promptings of the gods
To be heard by poets, as it's rumoured they may,
Tell me, Gradivus, Marching God, why women keep
Your feast, you who are apt to be served by men.'
So I spoke. And Mars answered, laying aside his helmet,
But keeping his throwing spear in his right hand:
Now am I, a god used to warfare, invoked
In pursuit of peace, and I'm carried into new camps,
And I don't dislike it: I like to take on this function,
Lest Minerva think that she alone can do so...
Mamurius carried out the task: whether he was superior
In his craft or his character it would be hard to say.
Gracious Numa said to him: `Ask a reward for your work,
You'll not ask in vain of one known for honesty.'
He'd already given the Salii, named from their leaping (saltus),
Weapons: and words to be sung to a certain tune.
Mamurius replied: `Give me glory as my prize,
And let my name be sounded at the song's end.'
So the priests grant the reward promised for his
Ancient work, and now call out `Mamurius'." - Ovid, Fasti III

"Ares, exceeding in strength, chariot-rider, golden- helmed, doughty
in heart, shield-bearer, Saviour of cities, harnessed in bronze,
strong of arm, unwearying, mighty with the spear, O defence of
Olympus, father of warlike Victory, ally of Themis, stern governor of
the rebellious, leader of righteous men, sceptred King of manliness,
who whirl your fiery sphere among the planets in their sevenfold
courses through the aether wherein your blazing steeds ever bear you
above the third firmament of heaven; hear me, helper of men, giver of
dauntless youth! Shed down a kindly ray from above upon my life, and
strength of war, that I may be able to drive away bitter cowardice
from my head and crush down the deceitful impulses of my soul.
Restrain also the keen fury of my heart which provokes me to tread the
ways of blood-curdling strife. Rather, O blessed one, give you me
boldness to abide within the harmless laws of peace, avoiding strife
and hatred and the violent fiends of death." - Homer, Ode to Ares II.1-17

The month of Martias is dedicated to the god of war, Mars, both in his
aspect as Mars Quirinus, the Protector of the Roman People and Mars
Gravidus, the leader of the Romans at war. Mars was the son of Iuno,
Iuppiter's wife. Iuppiter had given rise to the goddess Minerva by
birthing her through his head. Iuno was jealous of this event, and
asked the goddess Flora to help her in the task of creating a son.
Flora, the goddess of blossoming plants touched Juno with magical
herbs and created Mars in her womb.

Mars raped the vestal virgin Rhea Silvia while she slept, she gave
birth to twins called Romulus and Remus. Rhea was imprisoned because
of the sacred laws of her vows, and her sons were left in baskets on
the river. They were brought up by wolves and eventually founded Rome.
Mars was often depicted riding a two-horse chariot, with a spear and
a shield, both items with magical properties. His shield in particular
was an important object and symbol for the Romans, according to legend
one is said to have fallen from the sky to save the Romans during
battle. Sacred shields were kept in the temples of Mars and the one
alleged to have fallen from the sky was reserved for the Forum, where
it was said to guard Rome from attack.

Primarily Mars was invoked for battle and all things associated with
war. For obvious reasons he was a favorite among soldiers in the Roman
army.


"Girl if you'd marry, delay, however eager both are:
A little delay, at this time, is of great advantage.
Weapons excite to war, war's bad for those married:
The omens will be better when weapons are put away.
Now the girded wife of the peak-capped Flamen Dialis
Has to keep her hair free from the comb." - Ovid, Fasti III

Today is also the celebration of the Matronalia, a feast dedicated to
matrons and their special Protectress, Iuno in her aspect as Iuno
Lucina, the "light bringer". Iuno Lucina was an aspect of the goddess
Iuno associated with light and childbirth. Her name lucina probably
comes from the Latin lucus (grove). Livy records that the grove on the
Esquiline Hill in which a temple was dedicated to her in 375 B.C., is
the origin of her name.

By the second century B.C., Iuno Lucina was associated with childbirth
because the name lucina was thought to have come from the Latin word
lux (light). When a child was born it was said to have been "brought
to light." Women who worshiped Iuno Lucina had to untie knots and
unbraid their hair lest lest these entanglements symbolically block
delivery.

From the many reasons which Ovid gives why the festival was kept on
this day, it is evident that there was no certain tradition on the
subject; but the prevailing opinion seems to have been that it was
instituted in memory of the peace between the Romans and the Sabines,
which was brought about by means of the Sabine women. At this festival
wives used to receive presents from their husbands, and at a later
time girls from their lovers; mistresses also were accustomed to feast
their female slaves.

Valete bene!

Cato



SOURCES

Ovid, Homer, Wikipedia

Salvete Argicola et omnes,

Yes, that SPQR ring sure looks good and commands a lot of attention.
It is still available for order. Giving up about three or four nights
on the town should free up one's funds for such a purchase.

Regards,

QSP




--- In Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com, "M. Lucretius Agricola"
<wm_hogue@...> wrote:

>
> Salve!
>
> Look in Photos/Miscellaneous at the SPQR ring. I wear mine every

day.

>
> We had a buying group a couple years ago.
>
> Optime vale
>
> Agricola
>
>
> --- In Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com, Thomas Vogel <tvogel@> wrote:
> >
> > Titus Flavius Aquila S.P.D.
> >
> > I, too, would be interested in a Nova Roman Citizen Certificate .
> >
> > I would also support the idea to have a general sign of belonging
> > together, a sign which
> > citizens would recognize as being aligned all over the world, how

about

> > having a ring ?
> > Just an idea....
> >
> > Valete
> > Titus Flavius Aquila
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
>

Salvete omnes

Yesterday at 23,59 the cista for the election of the fith tribune was closed.

Now we needed that the diribitores and custodes give the results us of the voting.

Valete bene

M·CVRIATIVS·COMPLVTENSIS
TRIBVNVS PLEBIS
SCRIBA CENSORIS GFBM
NOVA ROMA

-------------------------------------------

ex paucis multa, ex minimis maxima



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Forwarded FYI. This does not seem to be a problem for NR, but it's effecting
other Yahoo groups right now.

CN•EQVIT•MARINVS

----- Forwarded message from mcmanus_carole@... -----
Date: Thu, 01 Mar 2007 19:50:18 -0000
From: Carole McManus <mcmanus_carole@...>
Reply-To: yg-alerts-owner@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [yg-alerts] Some Groups not receiving email messages
To: yg-alerts@yahoogroups.com

We want to acknowledge the reports that not all groups are receiving
email. Some of these groups are seeing the posts on their group
archive on the Web, but not receiving them via email. This problem has
been difficult to diagnose, since it is affecting some groups but not
others.

Our engineers have been investigating the root cause since we became
aware of the problem last night. We will continue to work on this and
will keep you updated via the Groups Team Blog:
http://blog.360.yahoo.com/y_groups_team .

In the meantime, we appreciate your patience and apologize for the
inconvenience.

The Yahoo! Groups Team

Well, since I have received less than 5 messages from all my NR groups in a 24 hour period ...I have to suspect that the problem might, indeed, effect NR, (grin) ...or me ..

C. Maria Caeca, interested to see if she sees this come through!

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

>
>
> A. Tullia Scholastica Cn. Equitio Marino quiritibus, sociis, peregrinisque
> bonae voluntatis S.P.D.
>
> Forwarded FYI. This does not seem to be a problem for NR, but it's effecting
> other Yahoo groups right now.
>
> ATS: I think it is affecting our lists: I have not received any of the
> monthly reminders (at least 14 of them) expected today, a yahoo notice about a
> sodalitas poll did not arrive, nor did my note calling that to the attention
> of the sodalitas members. We are holding our annual elections, but even fewer
> than the usual numbers have voted since these notices have not arrived.
> Members of the sodalitas in question should vote on the website polls section.
>
> CN•EQVIT•MARINVS
>
> Vale, et valete.
>
>
>
> ----- Forwarded message from mcmanus_carole@...
> <mailto:mcmanus_carole%40yahoo.com> -----
> Date: Thu, 01 Mar 2007 19:50:18 -0000
> From: Carole McManus <mcmanus_carole@...
> <mailto:mcmanus_carole%40yahoo.com> >
> Reply-To: yg-alerts-owner@yahoogroups.com
> <mailto:yg-alerts-owner%40yahoogroups.com>
> Subject: [yg-alerts] Some Groups not receiving email messages
> To: yg-alerts@yahoogroups.com <mailto:yg-alerts%40yahoogroups.com>
>
> We want to acknowledge the reports that not all groups are receiving
> email. Some of these groups are seeing the posts on their group
> archive on the Web, but not receiving them via email. This problem has
> been difficult to diagnose, since it is affecting some groups but not
> others.
>
> Our engineers have been investigating the root cause since we became
> aware of the problem last night. We will continue to work on this and
> will keep you updated via the Groups Team Blog:
> http://blog.360.yahoo.com/y_groups_team .
>
> In the meantime, we appreciate your patience and apologize for the
> inconvenience.
>
> The Yahoo! Groups Team

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Salvete omnes!

The first ludi of the year has its roots in antiquity, but not its trunk. Historically the first twenty-four days of March were sacred to Mars. For the purposes of this ludi, I claim only the last eight--the 17th through 24th.

Soon I will be giving out the circenses, munera and certamen historicum information, but for now I'm calling for writers and artists. I'm asking for prose and poems, sketches, paintings, and sculptures. There will be two winners of the cultural contest--a writer and an artist.

The rules are thus: entries must be received by the Ides of March, the subject matter must be Roman themed, preferably relating to the god of the ludi. In the case the god is Mars, and so could be the god of the fields, the War God, or the father of Remus and Romulus (and Rome).

Stories, essays, and poems should be no more than 1,000 words in length and art should be either scanned or photographed (if not created digitally), with no more than four pictures per piece submitted. One entry per contestant.

The e-mail address for submission of entries will be announced in the next few days, but I wanted to give a head's up for the writers and artists among us.

Valete bene,
T. Artoria Marcella



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

OSD C. Equitius Cato

Salvete omnes!

Hodie est postridie Kalendas Martias (ante diem VI Nones Martias);
haec dies fastus aterque est.

"The king of the Romans, after letting a year pass, during which he
made the necessary preparations for war, resolved to lead out his army
against the city of the Fidenates. The grounds he alleged for the war
were that this people, being called upon to justify themselves in the
matter of the plot that they had formed against the Romans and Albans,
had paid no heed, but immediately taking up arms, shutting their
gates, and bringing in the allied forces of the Veientes, had openly
revolted, and that when ambassadors arrived from Rome to inquire the
reason for their revolt, they had answered that they no longer had
anything in common with the Romans since the death of Romulus, their
king, to whom they had sworn their oaths of friendship. Seizing on
these grounds for war, Tullus was not only arming his own forces, but
also sending for those of his allies. The most numerous as well as the
best auxiliary troops were brought to him from Alba by Mettius
Fufetius, and they were equipped with such splendid arms as to excel
all the other allied forces. Tullus, therefore, believing that
Mettius had been actuated by zeal and by the best motives in deciding
to take part in the war, commended him and communicated to him all his
plans. But this man, who was accused by his fellow citizens of having
mismanaged the recent war and was furthermore charged with treason, in
view of the fact that he continued in the supreme command of the city
for the third year by order of Tullus, disdaining now to hold any
longer a command that was subject to another's command or to be
subordinated rather than himself to lead, devised an abominable plot.
He sent ambassadors here and there secretly to the enemies of the
Romans while they were as yet wavering in their resolution to revolt
and encouraged them not to hesitate, promising that he himself would
join them in attacking the Romans during the battle; and these
activities and plans he kept secret from everybody. Tullus, as soon
as he had got ready his own army as well as that of his allies,
marched against the enemy and after crossing the river Anio encamped
near Fidenae. And finding a considerable army both of the Fidenates
and of their allies drawn up before the city, he lay quiet that day;
but on the next he sent for Fufetius, the Alban, and the closest of
his other friends and took counsel with them concerning the best
method of conducting the war. And when all were in favour of engaging
promptly and not wasting time, he assigned them their several posts
and commands, and having fixed the next day for the battle, he
dismissed the council.

In the meantime Fufetius, the Alban — for his treachery was still a
secret to many even of his own friends — calling together the most
prominent centurions and tribunes among the Albans, addressed them as
follows:

"Tribunes and centurions, I am going to disclose to you important and
unexpected things which I have hitherto been concealing; and I beg of
you to keep them secret if you do not wish to ruin me, and to assist
me in carrying them out if you think their realization will be
advantageous. The present occasion does not permit of many words, as
the time is short; so I shall mention only the most essential matters.
I, from the time we were subordinated to the Romans up to this day,
have led a life full of sham en grief, though honoured by the king
with the supreme command, which I am now holding for the third year
and may, if I should so desire, hold as long as I live. But regarding
it as the greatest of all evils to be the only fortunate man in a time
of public misfortune, and taking it to heart that, contrary to all the
rights mankind look upon as sacred, we have been deprived by the
Romans of our supremacy, I took thought how we might recover it
without experiencing any great disaster. And although I considered
many plans of every sort, the only way I could discover that promised
success, and at the same time the easiest and the least dangerous one,
was in hand a war should be started against them by the neighbouring
states. For I assumed that when confronted by such a war they would
have need of allies and particularly of us. As to the next step, I
assumed that it would not require much argument to convince you that
it is more glorious as well as more fitting to fight for our liberty
than for the supremacy of the Romans. " - Dionysius of Halicarnassus
3.23, 1-8

Today is the second day of the festival of Mars.


"Remote though your farm be, It's something to be the lord of one
green lizard - and free." - Iuvenal, Satires

On March 2, A.D. 55, the Roman poet Iuvenal was born.

Valete bene!

Cato



SOURCES

Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Iuvenal

Hi
can't quite get my head around the idea of a modern day attempt at a
Roman community. There are some serious lessons to be learned from
Roman History, and my keenest area in this field has been on Roman
Britain in a military and religious/cultural sense - military as its
always fun, culturally though there are traces and questions to be
answered regarding our heritage of Rome in Britain from our modern
day main roads built over the extant remains of Roman roads to
peoples names and lineage. The decline of Roman organisation left a
void of knowledge about Britain, so I shall try to start this off
with an open question regarding this topic (nothing like starting at
the end?).

What effect did the fall of Roman influence in Britain have over the
peoples culture? Were there any political structures or cultural
ways of organising the people left in place?

It is a hunch of mine that the ways and lore's brought over from
germanic settlers in the Dark Ages (7th - 10th centuries AD) didn't
just start from scratch. What about the influences of the church and
regional kings nay governments of the tribes (formalised into
counties by the Anglo-saxons?).

be good to hear from you...

Consul L. Arminius Faustus to all roman people of the quirites,

By Contio we call the discussion made with the People on public foruns
when called by a magistrate. Before an election of any Comitia, the
Contio was the section of discussions by the subjects put for the
Comitia vote. When an election, it was time for the candidates (from
the word 'candidus' - ´white´ which was the color of the toga they
wear) to get more votes. If it was a law, or peace treat to be voted,
the romans discussed its conditions. The Contio was also a time for
the tribunes or magistrates exercise their veto, when possible.

On Ancient Rome the Comitia and Contio happened at the same day. On
NR, due to the necessities to reach people on the four corners of the
word, the Contio and elections happens on a series of days, which
causes us some trouble to get the right ´time´ of continuous days
comitiales, ie, days which a voting can happen. Well, 20 centuries
made some changes...

The Contio, however, is not subjected to a voting after. The Contio is
an invitation for discussion. I believe the Contio is a way to
concentrate the attention on a certain subject. The use of Contio in
NR was made my great predecessor, Consul Marinus, with good results.
So, good examples of the past must be followed. So, I invite the
citizens for a discussion.

Some will say it has no diference between a simple discussion on ML.
In fact, it has not. On Ancient, nothing prevented the romans to join
and discuss something on the forum. However, due to the auspices the
magistrates carries, it is a good omen and beloved by the gods when a
magistrate asks. So, since we believe the roman gods watch over this
Republic, besides all our human frailty, I think they will help the
citizens to exchange ideas and reach better comprehension.

Soon, NR are going to ask the citizens its taxes for this year. On all
my years on NR, I see no other subject is more heated, and no subject
is more needed. I invite all citizens to discuss it for this week. I
believe discussing we reach the truth (I am a bit scholastic). The
approuch of theme is free. Open your hearts, quirites, because the
magistrates and the gods are listening.

These are few guidelines I ask:

I ask the citizens to write [Contio] on the subject of the email to be
sent to this list, so it can be followed easier.

The Contio has no other rules than this list rules, respect all times,
as the praetores had written on their current edictum about
moderation.

I expect the result of this big discussion and reflexion will be a
better comprehension of the necessities of the Res Publica when the
time of the taxes comes.

May queen Minerva and the muses bless you, oh citizens, specially dear
Polimnia. Consider, oh quirites, the same muse of the sacred hymns is
the muse of rethoric. Because for the gods, exchanging ideas trying to
reach a consensus gives them as pleasure as an hymn.


--
Valete bene in pacem deorum,
L. Arminius Faustus

"Vigilando, agendo, bene consulendo, prospera omnia cedunt" - Salustius

Salvete, quirites

Well, I think I should give the example and quick the ball for the
first time, and share with the citizens my personal opinion to start
this week of reflexion.

On NR, we pay not just a tax on money. We pay two: The pay on money
and time. Many you will see, specially the older like me, the value of
the time they spent on NR was bigger than all taxes payed.

As consul, it is my duty to ask the citizens to pay the incoming tax,
with joy and responsability. As citizen, I believe it is a right of
all to demand the magistrates and Senate to use them worthy.

However, I ask the citizens to not forget the heaviest tax is the tax
of time we always must pay with pleasure, and spent it as worthy as we
would spend the money itself. When I consider the many fields NR needs
´manpower´ (I do not mean the magistratures only, but the many
solidalitas we have) I think how much bills of tax we must pay! How
many fields NR was to make the citizens satisfied and happy!

So, citizens, use this time of reflexion to think in what field of
Romanitas we could serve better this beloved Organization. I see the
fascination NR generates on us almost supernatural, I believe we are
here not in vane. When a citizen discover its place on the fabric of
NR, there is no way to leave the Republic.

Search NR. Share knowledge. Discover your place here.
NR, like Rome itself, may make ´as city what before was world´.

--
Valete bene in pacem deorum,
L. Arminius Faustus CSL

"Vigilando, agendo, bene consulendo, prospera omnia cedunt" - Salustius

Reminder from:		Nova-Roma Yahoo! Group
Title:		VI Conventus Novae Romae
Date:		Saturday March 3, 2007
Time:		12:00 am - 1:00 am
Repeats:		This event repeats every week until Thursday August 9, 2007.
Location:		http://www.novaroma.org/nr/VI_Conventus_Novae_Romae
Notes:		Brush up your Latin and get your tickets for the VI Conventus Novae Romae in Emerita Augusta, Hispania (Merida, Spain).
Get reminders on your mobile, Yahoo! Messenger, and email. Edit reminder options

Copyright © 2007  Yahoo! Inc. All Rights Reserved | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy

Q. Caecilius Metellus Quiritibus salutem.

For the coming nundinum, beginning today, the calendar will be thus as
decreed by the Collegium Pontificum:

a.d. V Non. Mar., Fastus, Religiosus
a.d. IV Non. Mar., Comitialis, Religiosus
a.d. III Non. Mar., Comitialis, Religiosus
pr. Non. Mar., Comitialis, Religiosus
Non. Mar., Fastus, Religiosus
a.d. VIII Id. Mar., Fastus, Ater
a.d. VII Id. Mar., Comitialis, Religiosus
a.d. VI Id. Mar., Comitialis, Religiosus
a.d. V Id. Mar., Comitialis, Religiosus

The feriae publicae stativae to be observed during this period are:

Feriae Marti (Kal. Mar to a.d. IX Kal. Apr.)

For more information on the character of the days, please reference
http://www.novaroma.org/nr/Responsum_Pontificum_de_Diebus_%28Nova_Roma%29
http://www.novaroma.org/nr/Roman_Calendar or, as always, you may send a
private message to me.

Optime Valete in Pace Deorum,

QVINTVS·CAECILIVS·L·F·SAB·METELLVS·POSTVMIANVS
PONTIFEX

Salvete Quirites,

Consul Faustus has asked for a Contio to discuss taxes. I have a request to
add to this: Would all senators and magistrates please withhold comment for
the first 24 hours or so in order that the people might speak freely without
influence by the more senior among us, please? There is a military custom of
asking for input from the most junior first, and the most senior last, in
order to insure that the more senior do not unduly influence the discussion.
I think we'd do well to follow that custom here too.

Of course, the flip side of this is that I'm implicitly asking our more junior
citizens to please speak up during the next day. So please do.

Valete,

CN•EQVIT•MARINVS

Salvete!

I thought I would step in and offer my opinions as a regular citizen in
ur fine Republic in this Contio.

As a Citizen living in Nova Britannia my opinion on the yearly taxes is
that they are fair- by standards in Nova Britannia. In Nova Britannia, we
are sadly, used to paying relatively large sums of money to live here in the
United States. With the exception of possibly New Hampshire which has lower
taxes, we all pay higher than normal taxes and fees for the majority of the
continental United States. Therefore, as an average US citizen in Nova
Britannia, I feel the US tax rate is very reasonable

Standards of living change and new issues are constantly arising concerning
the individual economies of the world. I only hope that those responsible
for setting the tax rate for all the provinces of Nova Roma do the utmost to
completely and effectively research the individual economies of the
provinces and set a fair tax rate, which is affordable for citizens, while
preserving the basic funds necessary to run Nova Roma.

As always, thought must be given to the future aims of the Republic and
what funds will be necessary to achieve whatever course we set upon. Let our
course be a good one, and let our beloved Magistrates do what is best for
the citizens and the future of Nova Roma.

Valete,
Lucius Cassus Pontonius.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Lucius Arminius Faustus" <lafaustus@...>
To: "nova-roma" <Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Friday, March 02, 2007 6:37 PM
Subject: [Nova-Roma] Calling a Contio


Consul L. Arminius Faustus to all roman people of the quirites,

By Contio we call the discussion made with the People on public foruns
when called by a magistrate. Before an election of any Comitia, the
Contio was the section of discussions by the subjects put for the
Comitia vote. When an election, it was time for the candidates (from
the word 'candidus' - ´white´ which was the color of the toga they
wear) to get more votes. If it was a law, or peace treat to be voted,
the romans discussed its conditions. The Contio was also a time for
the tribunes or magistrates exercise their veto, when possible.

On Ancient Rome the Comitia and Contio happened at the same day. On
NR, due to the necessities to reach people on the four corners of the
word, the Contio and elections happens on a series of days, which
causes us some trouble to get the right ´time´ of continuous days
comitiales, ie, days which a voting can happen. Well, 20 centuries
made some changes...

The Contio, however, is not subjected to a voting after. The Contio is
an invitation for discussion. I believe the Contio is a way to
concentrate the attention on a certain subject. The use of Contio in
NR was made my great predecessor, Consul Marinus, with good results.
So, good examples of the past must be followed. So, I invite the
citizens for a discussion.

Some will say it has no diference between a simple discussion on ML.
In fact, it has not. On Ancient, nothing prevented the romans to join
and discuss something on the forum. However, due to the auspices the
magistrates carries, it is a good omen and beloved by the gods when a
magistrate asks. So, since we believe the roman gods watch over this
Republic, besides all our human frailty, I think they will help the
citizens to exchange ideas and reach better comprehension.

Soon, NR are going to ask the citizens its taxes for this year. On all
my years on NR, I see no other subject is more heated, and no subject
is more needed. I invite all citizens to discuss it for this week. I
believe discussing we reach the truth (I am a bit scholastic). The
approuch of theme is free. Open your hearts, quirites, because the
magistrates and the gods are listening.

These are few guidelines I ask:

I ask the citizens to write [Contio] on the subject of the email to be
sent to this list, so it can be followed easier.

The Contio has no other rules than this list rules, respect all times,
as the praetores had written on their current edictum about
moderation.

I expect the result of this big discussion and reflexion will be a
better comprehension of the necessities of the Res Publica when the
time of the taxes comes.

May queen Minerva and the muses bless you, oh citizens, specially dear
Polimnia. Consider, oh quirites, the same muse of the sacred hymns is
the muse of rethoric. Because for the gods, exchanging ideas trying to
reach a consensus gives them as pleasure as an hymn.


--
Valete bene in pacem deorum,
L. Arminius Faustus

"Vigilando, agendo, bene consulendo, prospera omnia cedunt" - Salustius




Yahoo! Groups Links

M. Lucretius Agricola Omnibus S.P.D.

The tax is for me roughly equal to my round trip train fare to/from
work for one day, that is to say, nearly trivial when compared to my
costs in general.

More than anything, I think that paying the tax is a vote of
confidence in the future of Nova Roma. Additionally, it is my
understanding that governors can request that a large portion of the
tax for each province be returned to the provincial treasury and that
these funds could be used to support local events. This is a fine
thing and should be supported most strongly. I urge citizens to pay
the voluntary tax and to work diligently towards creating more local
events.

Optime valete!

Gnaeus Equitius Marinus <gawne@...> wrote:

Consul Faustus has asked for a Contio to discuss taxes. ........I have a request .............to asking our more junior citizens to please speak up during the next day. So please do.

Salvete omnes

Well, I for one announce my intention to pay taxes as soon as the opportunity opens up. I think it importanmt to pay, not only to help raise money for the maintenance and development of the Res Publica and its projects, but also to make the citizens feel part of the community by contributing a little and coming together in this act.We seem to do relatively little as one mass movement all acting at once in one way, yet payment of taxes seems to me to be exactly that, the people acting as one for the good of the state.

While not suggesting that our ancient brethren actually welcomed the opportunity to pay with open arms, I believe that we should so that we can at least share in one act together, and at the same time contribute to the well-being of our homeland.

Valete Optime!

Gauis Marcius Crispus
(Britannia)








[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

L. Iunius Bassus omnibus s.d.

I'm just finishing college, and my finances are a bit tight while I'm seeking work and trying
to figure out what to do with the rest of my life. Nevertheless, I'm eager to do my part and
pay taxes. For my part, though, I very interested in knowing what exactly my tax
contibution will lend to, and I feel some skepticism over the notion that citizens ought
never to know the full proceedings of the Senate. That said, I join in encouraging all of my
fellow recent citizens to contribute to our Res Publica.

Valete.

--- In Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com, "M. Lucretius Agricola" <wm_hogue@...> wrote:
>
> M. Lucretius Agricola Omnibus S.P.D.
>
> The tax is for me roughly equal to my round trip train fare to/from
> work for one day, that is to say, nearly trivial when compared to my
> costs in general.
>
> More than anything, I think that paying the tax is a vote of
> confidence in the future of Nova Roma. Additionally, it is my
> understanding that governors can request that a large portion of the
> tax for each province be returned to the provincial treasury and that
> these funds could be used to support local events. This is a fine
> thing and should be supported most strongly. I urge citizens to pay
> the voluntary tax and to work diligently towards creating more local
> events.
>
> Optime valete!
>

Salve,


This prayer from the ancient Greek Magical Papyri might appeal to you
being full moon.

Regards,
Nabarz.
http://www.myspace.com/nabarz

Prayer to Selene PGM IV 2785-2890.



Come to me, O Beloved Mistress, Three-faced
Selene; kindly hear my Sacred Chants;
Night's Ornament, young, bringing Light to Mortals,
O Child of Morn who ride upon the Fierce Bulls,
O Queen who drive Your Car on Equal Course
With Helios, who with the Triple Forms
Of Triple Graces dance in Revel with
The Stars. You're Justice and the Moira's Threads:
Klotho and Lachesis and Atropos
Three-headed, You're Persephone, Megaira,
Allekto, Many-Formed, who arm Your Hands
With Dreaded, Murky Lamps, who shake Your Locks
Of fearful Serpents on Your Brow, who sound
The Roar of Bulls out from Your Mouths, whose Womb
Is decked out with the Scales of Creeping Things,
With Pois'nous Rows of Serpents down the Back,
Bound down Your Backs with Horrifying Chains
Night-Crier, Bull-faced, loving Solitude,
Bull-headed, You have Eyes of Bulls, the Voice
Of Dogs; You hide Your Forms in Shanks of Lions,
Your Ankle is Wolf-shaped, Fierce Dogs are dear
To You, wherefore they call You Hekate,
Many-named, Mene, cleaving Air just like
Dart-shooter Artemis, Persephone,
Shooter of Deer, night shining, triple-sounding,
Triple-headed, triple-voiced Selene
Triple-pointed, triple-faced, triple-necked,
And Goddess of the Triple Ways, who hold
Untiring Flaming Fire in Triple Baskets,
And You who oft frequent the Triple Way
And rule the Triple Decades, unto me
Who'm calling You be gracious and with Kindness
Give Heed, You who protect the Spacious World
At night, before whom Daimons quake in Fear
And Gods Immortal tremble, Goddess who
Exalt Men, You of Many Names, who bear
Fair Offspring, Bull-eyed, Horned, Mother of Gods
And Men, and Nature, Mother of All Things,
For You frequent Olympos, and the broad
And boundless Chasm You traverse. Beginning
And End are You, and You Alone rule All.
For All Things are from You, and in You do
All Things, Eternal One, come to their End.
As Everlasting Band around Your Temples
You wear Great Kronos' Chains, unbreakable
And unremovable, and You hold in
Your Hands a Golden Scepter. Letters 'round
Your Scepter Kronos wrote Himself and gave
To You to wear that All Things stay steadfast:
Subduer and subdued, Mankind's Subduer,
And Force-subduer; Chaos, too, You rule.
Hail, Goddess, and attend Your Epithets,
I burn for You this Spice, O Child of Zeus,
Dart-shooter, Heav'nly One, Goddess of Harbors,
Who roam the Mountains, Goddess of Crossroads,
O Nether and Nocturnal, and Infernal,
Goddess of Dark, Quiet and Frightful One,
O You who have Your Meal amid the Graves,
Night, Darkness, Broad Chaos: Necessity
Hard to escape are You; You're Moira and
Erinys, Torment, Justice and Destroyer,
And You keep Kerberos in Chains, with Scales
Of Serpents are You dark, O You with Hair
Of Serpents, Serpent-girded, who drink Blood,
Who bring Death and Destruction, and who feast
On Hearts, Flesh Eater, who devour Those Dead
Untimely, and You who make Grief resound
And spread Madness, come to my Sacrifices,
And now for me do You fulfil this Matter.

[Tr.: E. N. O'Neil]

From Opening lines from PGM IV 2785-2890, prayer to Selene from The
Greek Magical Papyri in Translation: Including the Demotic Spells: by
Hans Dieter Betz. University Of Chicago Press; 2nd edition (January
1, 1997). Full prayer on pp90-92.

OSD C. equitius Cato

Salvete omnes!

Hodie est ante diem V Nones Martias; haec dies comitialis est.

"He [Numa Pompilius] appointed two additional Flamens, one for Mars,
the other for Quirinus, and also chose virgins as priestesses to
Vesta. This order of priestesses came into existence originally in
Alba and was connected with the race of the founder. He assigned them
a public stipend that they might give their whole time to the temple,
and made their persons sacred and inviolable by a vow of chastity and
other religious sanctions. Similarly he chose twelve `Salii' for Mars
Gradivus, and assigned to them the distinctive dress of an embroidered
tunic and over it a brazen cuirass. They were instructed to march in
solemn procession through the City, carrying the twelve shields called
the `Ancilia,' and singing hymns accompanied by a solemn dance in
triple time." - Livy, History of Rome 1.20

Jupiter, make true the words of your pledge.'
As he [Numa Pompilius] spoke, the sun's full disc appeared,
And a loud crash came from the depths of the sky.
Three times the god thundered, and hurled his lightning,
From cloudless air, believe what I say, wonderful but true.
The sky began to split open at the zenith:
The crowd and its leader lifted their eyes.
Behold, a shield fell, trembling in the light breeze.
The sound of the crowd's shouting reached the stars.
The king first sacrificed a heifer that had never known
The yoke, then raised the gift from the ground,
And called it ancile, because it was cut away (recisum)
All round, and there wasn't a single angle to note.
Then, remembering the empire's fate was involved,
He thought of a very cunning idea.
He ordered many shields cut in the same shape,
In order to confuse the eyes of any traitor.
Mamurius carried out the task: whether he was superior
In his craft or his character it would be hard to say.
Gracious Numa said to him: `Ask a reward for your work,
You'll not ask in vain of one known for honesty.'
He'd already given the Salii, named from their leaping (saltus),
Weapons: and words to be sung to a certain tune." - Ovid, Fasti III

"The sixth division of his religious institutions was devoted to those
the Romans call Salii, whom Numa himself appointed out of the
patricians, choosing twelve young men of the most graceful appearance.
These are the Salii whose holy things are deposited on the Palatine
hill and who are themselves called the (Salii) Palatini; for the
(Salii) Agonales, by some called the Salii Collini, the repository of
whose holy things is on the Quirinal Hill, were appointed after Numa's
time by King Hostilius, in pursuance of a vow he had made in the war
against the Sabines. All these Salii are a kind of dancers and singers
of hymns in praise of the gods of war. Their festival falls about the
time of the Panathenaea, in the month which they call March, and is
celebrated at the public expense for many days, during which they
proceed through the city with their dances to the Forum and to the
Capitol and to many other places both private and public. They wear
embroidered tunics girt about with wide girdles of bronze, and over
these are fastened, with brooches, robes striped with scarlet and
bordered with purple, which they call trabeae; this garment is
peculiar to the Romans and a mark of the greatest honour. On their
heads they wear apices, as they are called, that is, high caps
contracted into the shape of a cone, which the Greeks call kyrbasiai.
They have each of them a sword hanging at their girdle and in their
right hand they hold a spear or a staff or something else of the sort,
and on their left arm a Thracian buckler,which resembles a
lozenge-shaped shield with its sides drawn in, such as those are said
to carry who among the Greeks perform the sacred rites of the Curetes.
And, in my opinion at least, the Salii, if the word be translated into
Greek, are Curetes, whom, because they are kouroi or "young men," we
call by that name from their age, whereas the Romans call them Salii
from their lively motions. For to leap and skip is by them called
salire; and for the same reason they call all other dancers
saltatores, deriving their name from the Salii, because their dancing
also is attended by much leaping and capering. Whether I have been
well advised or not in giving them this appellation, anyone who
pleases may gather from their actions. For they execute their
movements in arms, keeping time to a flute, sometimes all together,
sometimes by turns, and while dancing sing certain traditional hymns.
But this dance and exercise performed by armed men and the noise they
make by striking their bucklers with their daggers, if we may base any
conjectures on the ancient accounts, was originated by the Curetes." -
Dionysius of Halicarnassus, 2.70

The festival of Mars was celebrated by the Salii on the 1st of March
and for several successive days; on which occasion they were
accustomed to go through the city in their official dress carrying the
ancilia in their left hands or suspended from their shoulders, and at
the same time singing and dancing. In the dance they struck the
shields with rods or weapons so as to keep time with their voices and
with the movements of the dance.

Valete bene!

Cato



SOURCES

Ovid, Livy, Dionysius of Halicarnassus

In a message dated 3/2/2007 7:39:04 AM Pacific Standard Time,
romaniaeuntdomus@... writes:

What effect did the fall of Roman influence in Britain have over the
peoples culture?


Well, the first thing was the Romanized provinces had to organize a defense,
especially along the coasts, since Saxon and Burgundians were raiding.

As best as we can tell, they fell back to the old Celtic system of
conscription. A levy would be formed, and the local magistrate would lead it.


It is a hunch of mine that the ways and lore's brought over from
Germanic settlers in the Dark Ages (7th - 10th centuries AD) didn't
just start from scratch. What about the influences of the church and
regional kings nay governments of the tribes (formalized into
counties by the Anglo-saxons?co



The Germanic culture completely submerged the Romanized Celts in the South.
Only in the North and in Ireland did it survive. Wales is a case of being
partly Germanized, but held on to a lot of Celtic tradition especially in the
marshes.

Q. Fabius Maximus


<BR><BR><BR>**************************************<BR> AOL now offers free
email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at
http://www.aol.com


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

This will be the first year in which I am eligible to pay taxes, and I certainly intend to do so. I have absolutely no problem supporting this organization financially, because, from what I can see, there are things that need to be done that cost money, and, more important to me, there are enough citizens who work extremely hard *without* any thought of remuneration to demonstrate that this really *is* a community, and not just another mailing list.

NR has become important to me on several levels, and I have strong feeling about supporting what supports me. So, yes, I will pay my tax, and yes, I will find work to do in NR, and do it happily and as well as I can. Along the way, I get to make wonderful friends, learn a great deal about Ancient Rome, and watch us build a working model of an Ancient State, while at the same time adapting it as necessary to our times and needs. We will end up with not a reproduction ...but an extension of the Roman State ...and I have a feeling most true Romans would understand that, and approve.

Bene Valete,
C. Maria Caeca

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Salvete,
Does anyone have a copy of the first issue nova roma coin? I have the newer
coin but would like to complete the set. Thanks

Valete,
L. C. Pontonius

OSD C. Equitius Cato

Salvete omnes!

Hodie est ante diem IV Nones Martias; haec dies comitialis est.

"Lord Dionysos, hear! We thank You for
this gift of wine, now mixed as You have taught,
and pray its potent force will always be
of benefit to us, both now and evermore." - Hyginus, Poetica
Astronomica II.4

In ancient Greece, today was the beginning of the Anthesteria, one of
the four Athenian festivals in honour of Dionysus, held annually for
three days (11th-13th) in the month of Anthesterion (the
February/March full moon). At the center of the festival was the
celebration of the maturing of the wine stored at the previous
vintage, and the beginning of spring. The festival was likely
celebrated for more than two millennia, from before 1500 BC to after
AD 500.

During the feast, social order was interrupted or inverted, the slaves
being allowed to participate, uniting the household in ancient
fashion. The Anthesteria also have aspects of a festival of the dead
who freely roamed the city, comparable to the Roman Feast of the
Lemures, the expulsion of ancestral ghosts: comparable to All Souls'
Night and carnival. Either the Keres or the Carians were entertained,
and expelled from the city after the festival, symbolizing either the
souls of the dead or the aboriginal inhabitants of Attica. A Greek
proverb, employed of those who pestered for continued favours, ran
"Out of doors, Keres! It is no longer Anthesteria".

On the first day, called Pithoigia (opening of the casks), libations
were offered from the newly opened casks to the god of wine, all the
household, including servants and slaves, joining in the festivities.
The rooms and the drinking vessels in them were adorned with spring
flowers, as were also the children over three years of age.

The second day, named Choes (feast of beakers), was a time of
merrymaking. The people dressed themselves gaily, some in the disguise
of the mythical personages in the suite of Dionysus, and paid a round
of visits to their acquaintances. Drinking clubs met to organize
drink-off matches, the winner being he who drained his cup most
rapidly. Others poured libations on the tombs of deceased relatives.
On the part of the state this day was the occasion of a peculiarly
solemn and secret ceremony in one of the sanctuaries of Dionysus in
the Lenaeum, which for the rest of the year was closed. The basilissa
(or basilinna), wife of the archon basileus for the duration, went
through a ceremony of marriage to the wine god, in which she was
assisted by fourteen Athenian matrons, called geraerae, chosen by the
basileus and sworn to secrecy. The days on which the Pithoigia and
Choes were celebrated were both regarded as unlucky and defiled,
necessitating expiatory libations; on them the souls of the dead came
up from the underworld and walked abroad; according to Photius, people
chewed leaves of buckthorn and besmeared their doors with tar to
protect themselves from evil. But at least in private circles the
festive character of the ceremonies predominated.

The third day was named Chytroi (feast of pots), a festival of the
dead. Cooked pulse was offered to Hermes Chthonios, Hermes in his
capacity of a god of the lower world, and to the souls of the dead,
who were then bidden to depart. None of the Olympians were included
and no one tasted the pottage, which was food of the dead. Although no
performances were allowed at the theatre, a sort of rehearsal took
place, at which the players for the ensuing dramatic festival were
selected.

Valete bene!

Cato



SOURCES

Hyginus, Thucydides, Wikipedia

A. Apollonius L. Arminio sal.

You ask, consul amice, for our opinions about taxes. Mine is already well known, but I'll re-state it briefly.

I shall pay whatever sums are required. However, I say quite frankly that I resent paying even the little I currently pay. I resent it because I am not told why it is needed or what it will be spent on. I am not told why I am asked to pay this sum and not less or, indeed, more. I am told only in the vaguest possible terms what was done with the sum I paid last year and the year before, and I see very little evidence that those sums were spent on anything beneficial to the republic. When, on the other hand, I see a project or activity which would be beneficial to the republic and which needs and deserves financial support, I generally find that the financial support given to it by the state is non-existent, inadequate, or arbitrary. In short, when I pay my taxes I generally feel that, apart from the half which my province is entitled to reclaim, I am simply sending money to disappear into the treasury and never be seen or heard of again.

Some may regard this as a rather "unpatriotic" sentiment. Indeed it seems to have become fashionable in the last few years to display one's enthusiasm for the republic by demanding higher taxes. I reply that my attitude is a Roman attitude. The majores did not enjoy paying taxes, and the senate took no pleasure in levying them. When other sources of revenue made it possible to do so, the senate abolished direct taxation altogether. Taxes were levied only when there was a specific reason to do so and only in such sums as were necessary for that specific reason. To adapt a more modern slogan, the Roman approach was simply this: "no taxation without justification".

If the senate wishes to levy taxes, it should do so on the basis of a clear and detailed budget which shows why the money is needed and what will be done with it. If it is unable or unwilling to justify its demands in this way, then it should not make those demands. No taxation without justification.







___________________________________________________________
New Yahoo! Mail is the ultimate force in competitive emailing. Find out more at the Yahoo! Mail Championships. Plus: play games and win prizes.
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Salvete

FYI


Valete

Tiberius Galerius Paulinus



David Meadows explorator 9.45 March 4, 2007
ANCIENT GREECE AND ROME (AND CLASSICS)
================================================================
Interesting find of a mid-republic Roman coin in the UK:

http://tinyurl.com/2u4mgu (Telegraph)

Roman pottery in Dorchester:

http://tinyurl.com/2bwcb4 (Echo)

A 'new' statue of Hera has been found:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070302/ap_on_sc/greece_statue_5
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17406301/
http://tinyurl.com/2rysjr (AFP via Yahoo)
http://tinyurl.com/347dnm (USA Today)
http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2007/03/02/hera_arc.html
http://tinyurl.com/2ocp54 (Kathimerini)
http://tinyurl.com/353xq3 (ANA)

Another agora has been found on the edge of Athens:

http://tinyurl.com/36e4dx (Sun Times)
http://www.kfmb.com/stories/story.82636.html
http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20070302-013631-8341r
http://tinyurl.com/3b2zy5 (AP via Yahoo)
http://tinyurl.com/346ru2 (WPost)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17424039/ (Photo)

Interesting item on an early survey of Salamis:

http://tinyurl.com/ys5gwm (Dispatch)

Was there a third Riace bronze?:

http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Entertainment/20070226-120103-7583r/

This story seems to put a different spin on the fate of Valerian:

http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=1171§ionid=351020107

Colin Renfrew on the Sevso treasure:

http://www.theartnewspaper.com/article01.asp?id=580&tf_teaser=0

cf:

http://www.theartnewspaper.com/article01.asp?id=581

What Richard Martin is up to:

http://daily.stanford.edu/article/2007/2/28/openingGates

300 hype:

http://tinyurl.com/3dvreg (Times)

Ancient World Records:

http://www.spiegel.de/international/spiegel/0,1518,468947,00.html

More coverage of Maxentius' regalia:

http://tinyurl.com/2vsgvs (Telegraph)
http://www.chnpress.com/news/?section=2&id=7022

... and the Acharnes theater find:

http://tinyurl.com/2ukceq (Athens News)

... and Peperikon as a metallurgical centre:

http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=77114

Recent reviews from BMCR:

http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/bmcr/recent.html

Recent reviews from Scholia:

http://www.classics.und.ac.za/reviews/2007.htm

Visit our blog:

http://www.atrium-media.com/rogueclassicism

Blegen Library News:

http://blegen.blogspot.com/

Mediterranean Archaeology:

http://medarch.blogspot.com/
================================================================
EUROPE AND THE UK (+ Ireland)
================================================================
Remains of early gasworks in Edinburgh:

http://tinyurl.com/2takwb (BBC)

Archaeology in Europe Blog:

http://www.archaeology.eu.com/weblog/index.html

Explorator is Copyright (c) 2007 David Meadows. Feel free to
distribute these listings via email to your pals, students,
teachers, etc., but please include this copyright notice. These
links are not to be posted to any website by any means (whether
by direct posting or snagging from a usenet group or some other
email source) without my express written permission. I think it
is only right that I be made aware of public fora which are
making use of content gathered in Explorator. Thanks!

A. Apollonius Cn. Equitio sal.

Scripsisti:

> Consul Faustus has asked for a Contio to discuss taxes. I have a request to
> add to this: Would all senators and magistrates please withhold comment for
> the first 24 hours or so in order that the people might speak freely without
> influence by the more senior among us, please? There is a military custom of
> asking for input from the most junior first, and the most senior last, in
> order to insure that the more senior do not unduly influence the discussion.
> I think we'd do well to follow that custom here too.

As to military customs, I take your word for it. There is, however, an ancient Roman custom that in a contio the speakers are called to give their opinions on order of seniority. This enables the best informed and most experienced speakers to set the framework for the debate and to identify the principal issues. Less senior speakers thus benefit from the opinions of their predecessors and are saved from embarrassing themselves, and wasting the time of others, by making remarks which are irrelevant or ill-informed.

You say the purpose of the military custom is "to ensure that the more senior do not unduly influence the discussion". I do not think a Roman of the old republic would have understood the suggestion that the influence of senior speakers on a discussion could be "undue". The procedures adopted by the ancient Romans in a contio, in the comitia, in the senate, and in every other occasion of public debate, were founded on the belief that it is highly desirable for such debate to be influenced by the the most senior participants. The idea that such influence could be a bad thing is entirely contrary to the ethos of Roman public life.












Of course, the flip side of this is that I'm implicitly asking our more junior
citizens to please speak up during the next day. So please do.

Valete,

CN•EQVIT•MARINVS


Messages in this topic (6)
________________________________________________________________________

2c. Contio
Posted by: "Michael Ponte" superponte@... lcpontonius
Date: Fri Mar 2, 2007 6:58 pm ((PST))

Salvete!

I thought I would step in and offer my opinions as a regular citizen in
ur fine Republic in this Contio.

As a Citizen living in Nova Britannia my opinion on the yearly taxes is
that they are fair- by standards in Nova Britannia. In Nova Britannia, we
are sadly, used to paying relatively large sums of money to live here in the
United States. With the exception of possibly New Hampshire which has lower
taxes, we all pay higher than normal taxes and fees for the majority of the
continental United States. Therefore, as an average US citizen in Nova
Britannia, I feel the US tax rate is very reasonable

Standards of living change and new issues are constantly arising concerning
the individual economies of the world. I only hope that those responsible
for setting the tax rate for all the provinces of Nova Roma do the utmost to
completely and effectively research the individual economies of the
provinces and set a fair tax rate, which is affordable for citizens, while
preserving the basic funds necessary to run Nova Roma.

As always, thought must be given to the future aims of the Republic and
what funds will be necessary to achieve whatever course we set upon. Let our
course be a good one, and let our beloved Magistrates do what is best for
the citizens and the future of Nova Roma.

Valete,
Lucius Cassus Pontonius.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Lucius Arminius Faustus" <lafaustus@...>
To: "nova-roma" <Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Friday, March 02, 2007 6:37 PM
Subject: [Nova-Roma] Calling a Contio


Consul L. Arminius Faustus to all roman people of the quirites,

By Contio we call the discussion made with the People on public foruns
when called by a magistrate. Before an election of any Comitia, the
Contio was the section of discussions by the subjects put for the
Comitia vote. When an election, it was time for the candidates (from
the word 'candidus' - ´white´ which was the color of the toga they
wear) to get more votes. If it was a law, or peace treat to be voted,
the romans discussed its conditions. The Contio was also a time for
the tribunes or magistrates exercise their veto, when possible.

On Ancient Rome the Comitia and Contio happened at the same day. On
NR, due to the necessities to reach people on the four corners of the
word, the Contio and elections happens on a series of days, which
causes us some trouble to get the right ´time´ of continuous days
comitiales, ie, days which a voting can happen. Well, 20 centuries
made some changes...

The Contio, however, is not subjected to a voting after. The Contio is
an invitation for discussion. I believe the Contio is a way to
concentrate the attention on a certain subject. The use of Contio in
NR was made my great predecessor, Consul Marinus, with good results.
So, good examples of the past must be followed. So, I invite the
citizens for a discussion.

Some will say it has no diference between a simple discussion on ML.
In fact, it has not. On Ancient, nothing prevented the romans to join
and discuss something on the forum. However, due to the auspices the
magistrates carries, it is a good omen and beloved by the gods when a
magistrate asks. So, since we believe the roman gods watch over this
Republic, besides all our human frailty, I think they will help the
citizens to exchange ideas and reach better comprehension.

Soon, NR are going to ask the citizens its taxes for this year. On all
my years on NR, I see no other subject is more heated, and no subject
is more needed. I invite all citizens to discuss it for this week. I
believe discussing we reach the truth (I am a bit scholastic). The
approuch of theme is free. Open your hearts, quirites, because the
magistrates and the gods are listening.

These are few guidelines I ask:

I ask the citizens to write [Contio] on the subject of the email to be
sent to this list, so it can be followed easier.

The Contio has no other rules than this list rules, respect all times,
as the praetores had written on their current edictum about
moderation.

I expect the result of this big discussion and reflexion will be a
better comprehension of the necessities of the Res Publica when the
time of the taxes comes.

May queen Minerva and the muses bless you, oh citizens, specially dear
Polimnia. Consider, oh quirites, the same muse of the sacred hymns is
the muse of rethoric. Because for the gods, exchanging ideas trying to
reach a consensus gives them as pleasure as an hymn.


--
Valete bene in pacem deorum,
L. Arminius Faustus

"Vigilando, agendo, bene consulendo, prospera omnia cedunt" - Salustius




Yahoo! Groups Links





Messages in this topic (6)
________________________________________________________________________

2d. [Contio]
Posted by: "M. Lucretius Agricola" wm_hogue@... marcus_lucretius_agricola
Date: Fri Mar 2, 2007 9:47 pm ((PST))

M. Lucretius Agricola Omnibus S.P.D.

The tax is for me roughly equal to my round trip train fare to/from
work for one day, that is to say, nearly trivial when compared to my
costs in general.

More than anything, I think that paying the tax is a vote of
confidence in the future of Nova Roma. Additionally, it is my
understanding that governors can request that a large portion of the
tax for each province be returned to the provincial treasury and that
these funds could be used to support local events. This is a fine
thing and should be supported most strongly. I urge citizens to pay
the voluntary tax and to work diligently towards creating more local
events.

Optime valete!




Messages in this topic (6)
________________________________________________________________________

2e. Re: [Contio] Calling a Contio
Posted by: "Bob Johnson" jbshr1pwa@... robert574674
Date: Sat Mar 3, 2007 12:56 am ((PST))

Gnaeus Equitius Marinus <gawne@...> wrote:

Consul Faustus has asked for a Contio to discuss taxes. ........I have a request .............to asking our more junior citizens to please speak up during the next day. So please do.

Salvete omnes

Well, I for one announce my intention to pay taxes as soon as the opportunity opens up. I think it importanmt to pay, not only to help raise money for the maintenance and development of the Res Publica and its projects, but also to make the citizens feel part of the community by contributing a little and coming together in this act.We seem to do relatively little as one mass movement all acting at once in one way, yet payment of taxes seems to me to be exactly that, the people acting as one for the good of the state.

While not suggesting that our ancient brethren actually welcomed the opportunity to pay with open arms, I believe that we should so that we can at least share in one act together, and at the same time contribute to the well-being of our homeland.

Valete Optime!

Gauis Marcius Crispus
(Britannia)








[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



Messages in this topic (6)
________________________________________________________________________

2f. Re: [Contio]
Posted by: "Lucius Iunius Bassus" iunius_verbosus@... luciusiunius
Date: Sat Mar 3, 2007 1:45 am ((PST))

L. Iunius Bassus omnibus s.d.

I'm just finishing college, and my finances are a bit tight while I'm seeking work and trying
to figure out what to do with the rest of my life. Nevertheless, I'm eager to do my part and
pay taxes. For my part, though, I very interested in knowing what exactly my tax
contibution will lend to, and I feel some skepticism over the notion that citizens ought
never to know the full proceedings of the Senate. That said, I join in encouraging all of my
fellow recent citizens to contribute to our Res Publica.

Valete.

--- In Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com, "M. Lucretius Agricola" <wm_hogue@...> wrote:
>
> M. Lucretius Agricola Omnibus S.P.D.
>
> The tax is for me roughly equal to my round trip train fare to/from
> work for one day, that is to say, nearly trivial when compared to my
> costs in general.
>
> More than anything, I think that paying the tax is a vote of
> confidence in the future of Nova Roma. Additionally, it is my
> understanding that governors can request that a large portion of the
> tax for each province be returned to the provincial treasury and that
> these funds could be used to support local events. This is a fine
> thing and should be supported most strongly. I urge citizens to pay
> the voluntary tax and to work diligently towards creating more local
> events.
>
> Optime valete!
>




Messages in this topic (6)
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

3. [Contio] The tax of time
Posted by: "Lucius Arminius Faustus" lafaustus@...
Date: Fri Mar 2, 2007 5:12 pm ((PST))

Salvete, quirites

Well, I think I should give the example and quick the ball for the
first time, and share with the citizens my personal opinion to start
this week of reflexion.

On NR, we pay not just a tax on money. We pay two: The pay on money
and time. Many you will see, specially the older like me, the value of
the time they spent on NR was bigger than all taxes payed.

As consul, it is my duty to ask the citizens to pay the incoming tax,
with joy and responsability. As citizen, I believe it is a right of
all to demand the magistrates and Senate to use them worthy.

However, I ask the citizens to not forget the heaviest tax is the tax
of time we always must pay with pleasure, and spent it as worthy as we
would spend the money itself. When I consider the many fields NR needs
´manpower´ (I do not mean the magistratures only, but the many
solidalitas we have) I think how much bills of tax we must pay! How
many fields NR was to make the citizens satisfied and happy!

So, citizens, use this time of reflexion to think in what field of
Romanitas we could serve better this beloved Organization. I see the
fascination NR generates on us almost supernatural, I believe we are
here not in vane. When a citizen discover its place on the fabric of
NR, there is no way to leave the Republic.

Search NR. Share knowledge. Discover your place here.
NR, like Rome itself, may make ´as city what before was world´.

--
Valete bene in pacem deorum,
L. Arminius Faustus CSL

"Vigilando, agendo, bene consulendo, prospera omnia cedunt" - Salustius


Messages in this topic (1)
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

4. VI Conventus Novae Romae, 3/3/2007, 12:00 am
Posted by: "Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com" Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com
Date: Fri Mar 2, 2007 5:14 pm ((PST))

Reminder from: Nova-Roma Yahoo! Group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Nova-Roma/cal

VI Conventus Novae Romae
Saturday March 3, 2007
12:00 am - 1:00 am
(This event repeats every week until Thursday August 9, 2007.)
Location: http://www.novaroma.org/nr/VI_Conventus_Novae_Romae

Notes:
Brush up your Latin and get your tickets for the VI Conventus Novae Romae in Emerita Augusta, Hispania (Merida, Spain).


All Rights Reserved
Copyright © 2007
Yahoo! Inc.
http://www.yahoo.com

Privacy Policy:
http://privacy.yahoo.com/privacy/us

Terms of Service:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

Messages in this topic (1)
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

5. Calendarius Nundinalis VIII
Posted by: "Q. Caecilius Metellus" postumianus@... q_caecilius
Date: Fri Mar 2, 2007 6:10 pm ((PST))

Q. Caecilius Metellus Quiritibus salutem.

For the coming nundinum, beginning today, the calendar will be thus as
decreed by the Collegium Pontificum:

a.d. V Non. Mar., Fastus, Religiosus
a.d. IV Non. Mar., Comitialis, Religiosus
a.d. III Non. Mar., Comitialis, Religiosus
pr. Non. Mar., Comitialis, Religiosus
Non. Mar., Fastus, Religiosus
a.d. VIII Id. Mar., Fastus, Ater
a.d. VII Id. Mar., Comitialis, Religiosus
a.d. VI Id. Mar., Comitialis, Religiosus
a.d. V Id. Mar., Comitialis, Religiosus

The feriae publicae stativae to be observed during this period are:

Feriae Marti (Kal. Mar to a.d. IX Kal. Apr.)

For more information on the character of the days, please reference
http://www.novaroma.org/nr/Responsum_Pontificum_de_Diebus_%28Nova_Roma%29
http://www.novaroma.org/nr/Roman_Calendar or, as always, you may send a
private message to me.

Optime Valete in Pace Deorum,

QVINTVS·CAECILIVS·L·F·SAB·METELLVS·POSTVMIANVS
PONTIFEX




Messages in this topic (1)
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________



------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yahoo! Groups Links



------------------------------------------------------------------------







___________________________________________________________
Now you can scan emails quickly with a reading pane. Get the new Yahoo! Mail. http://uk.docs.yahoo.com/nowyoucan.html

M. Hortensia A. Apollonio quiritibusque spd;
I knew of Cordus's point of view, but I finally understand
it! I'm going on as a 4th year civis of NR & as an active member;
propraetrix, tribune plebis, aedile plebis, cultrix deorum,member of
sodalitas Latinitas
never saw our taxes spent on a blessed thing!
Has the money raised for Magna Mater been spent at all?

There is wonderful activity in the res publica, but it is all being
done freely, by the true 'tax'- the one our consul L. Arminius
Faustus mentioned ; the time cives put into Nova Roma.

I know every minute I have spent on Nova Roma has been repaid to the
10th power. But

1.give some money $$ to the Wiki to get state of the art templates!
or pay our hard-working wikimasters!

2. Donate the Magna Mater money for a scholarship!

3. Ask the quirites what projects they want Sesterces for & give it
to the best of them!.

4. Promote Latin our international language!

5. Otherwise abolish taxes.
bene valete in pacem deorum
M. Hortensia Maior
producer "Vox Romana" podcast
http://www.insulaumbra.com/voxromana/
The procedures adopted by the ancient Romans in a contio, in the
comitia, in the senate, and in every other occasion of public
debate, were founded on the belief that it is highly desirable for
such debate to be influenced by the the most senior participants.
The idea that such influence could be a bad thing is entirely
contrary to the ethos of Roman public life.

>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Of course, the flip side of this is that I'm implicitly asking our

more junior

> citizens to please speak up during the next day. So please do.
>
> Valete,
>
> CN•EQVIT•MARINVS
>
>
> Messages in this topic (6)
>

_____________________________________________________________________
___

>
> 2c. Contio
> Posted by: "Michael Ponte" superponte@... lcpontonius
> Date: Fri Mar 2, 2007 6:58 pm ((PST))
>
> Salvete!
>
> I thought I would step in and offer my opinions as a regular

citizen in

> ur fine Republic in this Contio.
>
> As a Citizen living in Nova Britannia my opinion on the yearly

taxes is

> that they are fair- by standards in Nova Britannia. In Nova

Britannia, we

> are sadly, used to paying relatively large sums of money to live

here in the

> United States. With the exception of possibly New Hampshire which

has lower

> taxes, we all pay higher than normal taxes and fees for the

majority of the

> continental United States. Therefore, as an average US citizen in

Nova

> Britannia, I feel the US tax rate is very reasonable
>
> Standards of living change and new issues are constantly arising

concerning

> the individual economies of the world. I only hope that those

responsible

> for setting the tax rate for all the provinces of Nova Roma do the

utmost to

> completely and effectively research the individual economies of

the

> provinces and set a fair tax rate, which is affordable for

citizens, while

> preserving the basic funds necessary to run Nova Roma.
>
> As always, thought must be given to the future aims of the

Republic and

> what funds will be necessary to achieve whatever course we set

upon. Let our

> course be a good one, and let our beloved Magistrates do what is

best for

> the citizens and the future of Nova Roma.
>
> Valete,
> Lucius Cassus Pontonius.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Lucius Arminius Faustus" <lafaustus@...>
> To: "nova-roma" <Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Friday, March 02, 2007 6:37 PM
> Subject: [Nova-Roma] Calling a Contio
>
>
> Consul L. Arminius Faustus to all roman people of the quirites,
>
> By Contio we call the discussion made with the People on public

foruns

> when called by a magistrate. Before an election of any Comitia, the
> Contio was the section of discussions by the subjects put for the
> Comitia vote. When an election, it was time for the candidates

(from

> the word 'candidus' - ´white´ which was the color of the toga they
> wear) to get more votes. If it was a law, or peace treat to be

voted,

> the romans discussed its conditions. The Contio was also a time for
> the tribunes or magistrates exercise their veto, when possible.
>
> On Ancient Rome the Comitia and Contio happened at the same day. On
> NR, due to the necessities to reach people on the four corners of

the

> word, the Contio and elections happens on a series of days, which
> causes us some trouble to get the right ´time´ of continuous days
> comitiales, ie, days which a voting can happen. Well, 20 centuries
> made some changes...
>
> The Contio, however, is not subjected to a voting after. The

Contio is

> an invitation for discussion. I believe the Contio is a way to
> concentrate the attention on a certain subject. The use of Contio

in

> NR was made my great predecessor, Consul Marinus, with good

results.

> So, good examples of the past must be followed. So, I invite the
> citizens for a discussion.
>
> Some will say it has no diference between a simple discussion on

ML.

> In fact, it has not. On Ancient, nothing prevented the romans to

join

> and discuss something on the forum. However, due to the auspices

the

> magistrates carries, it is a good omen and beloved by the gods

when a

> magistrate asks. So, since we believe the roman gods watch over

this

> Republic, besides all our human frailty, I think they will help the
> citizens to exchange ideas and reach better comprehension.
>
> Soon, NR are going to ask the citizens its taxes for this year. On

all

> my years on NR, I see no other subject is more heated, and no

subject

> is more needed. I invite all citizens to discuss it for this week.

I

> believe discussing we reach the truth (I am a bit scholastic). The
> approuch of theme is free. Open your hearts, quirites, because the
> magistrates and the gods are listening.
>
> These are few guidelines I ask:
>
> I ask the citizens to write [Contio] on the subject of the email

to be

> sent to this list, so it can be followed easier.
>
> The Contio has no other rules than this list rules, respect all

times,

> as the praetores had written on their current edictum about
> moderation.
>
> I expect the result of this big discussion and reflexion will be a
> better comprehension of the necessities of the Res Publica when the
> time of the taxes comes.
>
> May queen Minerva and the muses bless you, oh citizens, specially

dear

> Polimnia. Consider, oh quirites, the same muse of the sacred hymns

is

> the muse of rethoric. Because for the gods, exchanging ideas

trying to

> reach a consensus gives them as pleasure as an hymn.
>
>
> --
> Valete bene in pacem deorum,
> L. Arminius Faustus
>
> "Vigilando, agendo, bene consulendo, prospera omnia cedunt" -

Salustius

>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
> Messages in this topic (6)
>

_____________________________________________________________________
___

>
> 2d. [Contio]
> Posted by: "M. Lucretius Agricola" wm_hogue@...

marcus_lucretius_agricola

> Date: Fri Mar 2, 2007 9:47 pm ((PST))
>
> M. Lucretius Agricola Omnibus S.P.D.
>
> The tax is for me roughly equal to my round trip train fare to/from
> work for one day, that is to say, nearly trivial when compared to

my

> costs in general.
>
> More than anything, I think that paying the tax is a vote of
> confidence in the future of Nova Roma. Additionally, it is my
> understanding that governors can request that a large portion of

the

> tax for each province be returned to the provincial treasury and

that

> these funds could be used to support local events. This is a fine
> thing and should be supported most strongly. I urge citizens to pay
> the voluntary tax and to work diligently towards creating more

local

> events.
>
> Optime valete!
>
>
>
>
> Messages in this topic (6)
>

_____________________________________________________________________
___

>
> 2e. Re: [Contio] Calling a Contio
> Posted by: "Bob Johnson" jbshr1pwa@... robert574674
> Date: Sat Mar 3, 2007 12:56 am ((PST))
>
> Gnaeus Equitius Marinus <gawne@...> wrote:
>
> Consul Faustus has asked for a Contio to discuss

taxes. ........I have a request .............to asking our more
junior citizens to please speak up during the next day. So please do.

>
> Salvete omnes
>
> Well, I for one announce my intention to pay taxes as soon as

the opportunity opens up. I think it importanmt to pay, not only to
help raise money for the maintenance and development of the Res
Publica and its projects, but also to make the citizens feel part of
the community by contributing a little and coming together in this
act.We seem to do relatively little as one mass movement all acting
at once in one way, yet payment of taxes seems to me to be exactly
that, the people acting as one for the good of the state.

>
> While not suggesting that our ancient brethren actually welcomed

the opportunity to pay with open arms, I believe that we should so
that we can at least share in one act together, and at the same time
contribute to the well-being of our homeland.

>
> Valete Optime!
>
> Gauis Marcius Crispus
> (Britannia)
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
> Messages in this topic (6)
>

_____________________________________________________________________
___

>
> 2f. Re: [Contio]
> Posted by: "Lucius Iunius Bassus" iunius_verbosus@...

luciusiunius

> Date: Sat Mar 3, 2007 1:45 am ((PST))
>
> L. Iunius Bassus omnibus s.d.
>
> I'm just finishing college, and my finances are a bit tight while

I'm seeking work and trying

> to figure out what to do with the rest of my life. Nevertheless,

I'm eager to do my part and

> pay taxes. For my part, though, I very interested in knowing what

exactly my tax

> contibution will lend to, and I feel some skepticism over the

notion that citizens ought

> never to know the full proceedings of the Senate. That said, I

join in encouraging all of my

> fellow recent citizens to contribute to our Res Publica.
>
> Valete.
>
> --- In Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com, "M. Lucretius Agricola"

<wm_hogue@> wrote:

> >
> > M. Lucretius Agricola Omnibus S.P.D.
> >
> > The tax is for me roughly equal to my round trip train fare

to/from

> > work for one day, that is to say, nearly trivial when compared

to my

> > costs in general.
> >
> > More than anything, I think that paying the tax is a vote of
> > confidence in the future of Nova Roma. Additionally, it is my
> > understanding that governors can request that a large portion of

the

> > tax for each province be returned to the provincial treasury and

that

> > these funds could be used to support local events. This is a fine
> > thing and should be supported most strongly. I urge citizens to

pay

> > the voluntary tax and to work diligently towards creating more

local

> > events.
> >
> > Optime valete!
> >
>
>
>
>
> Messages in this topic (6)
>

_____________________________________________________________________
___

>

_____________________________________________________________________
___

>
> 3. [Contio] The tax of time
> Posted by: "Lucius Arminius Faustus" lafaustus@...
> Date: Fri Mar 2, 2007 5:12 pm ((PST))
>
> Salvete, quirites
>
> Well, I think I should give the example and quick the ball for the
> first time, and share with the citizens my personal opinion to

start

> this week of reflexion.
>
> On NR, we pay not just a tax on money. We pay two: The pay on money
> and time. Many you will see, specially the older like me, the

value of

> the time they spent on NR was bigger than all taxes payed.
>
> As consul, it is my duty to ask the citizens to pay the incoming

tax,

> with joy and responsability. As citizen, I believe it is a right of
> all to demand the magistrates and Senate to use them worthy.
>
> However, I ask the citizens to not forget the heaviest tax is the

tax

> of time we always must pay with pleasure, and spent it as worthy

as we

> would spend the money itself. When I consider the many fields NR

needs

> ´manpower´ (I do not mean the magistratures only, but the many
> solidalitas we have) I think how much bills of tax we must pay! How
> many fields NR was to make the citizens satisfied and happy!
>
> So, citizens, use this time of reflexion to think in what field of
> Romanitas we could serve better this beloved Organization. I see

the

> fascination NR generates on us almost supernatural, I believe we

are

> here not in vane. When a citizen discover its place on the fabric

of

> NR, there is no way to leave the Republic.
>
> Search NR. Share knowledge. Discover your place here.
> NR, like Rome itself, may make ´as city what before was world´.
>
> --
> Valete bene in pacem deorum,
> L. Arminius Faustus CSL
>
> "Vigilando, agendo, bene consulendo, prospera omnia cedunt" -

Salustius

>
>
> Messages in this topic (1)
>

_____________________________________________________________________
___

>

_____________________________________________________________________
___

>
> 4. VI Conventus Novae Romae, 3/3/2007, 12:00 am
> Posted by: "Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com" Nova-

Roma@yahoogroups.com

> Date: Fri Mar 2, 2007 5:14 pm ((PST))
>
> Reminder from: Nova-Roma Yahoo! Group
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Nova-Roma/cal
>
> VI Conventus Novae Romae
> Saturday March 3, 2007
> 12:00 am - 1:00 am
> (This event repeats every week until Thursday August 9, 2007.)
> Location: http://www.novaroma.org/nr/VI_Conventus_Novae_Romae
>
> Notes:
> Brush up your Latin and get your tickets for the VI Conventus

Novae Romae in Emerita Augusta, Hispania (Merida, Spain).

>
>
> All Rights Reserved
> Copyright © 2007
> Yahoo! Inc.
> http://www.yahoo.com
>
> Privacy Policy:
> http://privacy.yahoo.com/privacy/us
>
> Terms of Service:
> http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
> Messages in this topic (1)
>

_____________________________________________________________________
___

>

_____________________________________________________________________
___

>
> 5. Calendarius Nundinalis VIII
> Posted by: "Q. Caecilius Metellus" postumianus@... q_caecilius
> Date: Fri Mar 2, 2007 6:10 pm ((PST))
>
> Q. Caecilius Metellus Quiritibus salutem.
>
> For the coming nundinum, beginning today, the calendar will be

thus as

> decreed by the Collegium Pontificum:
>
> a.d. V Non. Mar., Fastus, Religiosus
> a.d. IV Non. Mar., Comitialis, Religiosus
> a.d. III Non. Mar., Comitialis, Religiosus
> pr. Non. Mar., Comitialis, Religiosus
> Non. Mar., Fastus, Religiosus
> a.d. VIII Id. Mar., Fastus, Ater
> a.d. VII Id. Mar., Comitialis, Religiosus
> a.d. VI Id. Mar., Comitialis, Religiosus
> a.d. V Id. Mar., Comitialis, Religiosus
>
> The feriae publicae stativae to be observed during this period are:
>
> Feriae Marti (Kal. Mar to a.d. IX Kal. Apr.)
>
> For more information on the character of the days, please reference
> http://www.novaroma.org/nr/Responsum_Pontificum_de_Diebus_%

28Nova_Roma%29

> http://www.novaroma.org/nr/Roman_Calendar or, as always, you may

send a

> private message to me.
>
> Optime Valete in Pace Deorum,
>
> QVINTVS·CAECILIVS·L·F·SAB·METELLVS·POSTVMIANVS
> PONTIFEX
>
>
>
>
> Messages in this topic (1)
>

_____________________________________________________________________
___

>

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>
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>
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>
>
>
> ___________________________________________________________
> Now you can scan emails quickly with a reading pane. Get the new

Yahoo! Mail. http://uk.docs.yahoo.com/nowyoucan.html

>

I am one of the newest civis to NR. And I will be paying my fair
share of taxes. Based on what I have seen so far on the NR site,
such as the Magna Mater project(a great acheivement).


But I feel that it is important to highlight a few points that
fellow civis have made so far:

L. Iunius Bassus wrote

"...I('m) very interested in knowing what exactly my
tax contibution will lend to, and I feel some skepticism over the
notion that citizens ought never to know the full proceedings of the
Senate."

A. Apollonius Cordus wrote

"I resent it because I am not told why it is needed or what it will
be spent on. I am not told why I am asked to pay this sum and not
less or, indeed, more. I am told only in the vaguest possible terms
what was done with the sum I paid last year and the year before, and
I see very little evidence that those sums were spent on anything
beneficial to the republic....No taxation without justification."

M. Hortensia Maior wrote

"I'm going on as a 4th year civis of NR & as an active member;
propraetrix, tribune plebis, aedile plebis, cultrix deorum,member of
sodalitas Latinitas never saw our taxes spent on a blessed thing!
Has the money raised for Magna Mater been spent at all?"


I understand that in many cases civis will differ with each other on
the areas of NR in need of monetary support. And under Article 5
sect. B of the NR Constitution "The Senate shall exercise control
over the aerarium (treasury) and shall oversee the financial
endeavors, health, and policy of the state."


The issue here is not per se the tax. But moreover the access of
the People to hear the debate and be informed of the plans of
government. I believe the People should be informed and privy to
the debates our Senators have while the Senate is in session. I
find this to be the issue we need to debate. Because the tax is
generally accepted as a neccessity and as fair by all. And so you
arrive at the point in conflict "How is the tax spent and why?"


M. Aurelius Pullo

Salve,
Never heard specifically, but was the Praetorian's used as a police
force, or just used to guard the emperor???

Vale,
Caius Pompeius Marcellus

Caius Pompeius Marcellus writes:

> Salve,
> Never heard specifically, but was the Praetorian's used as a police
> force, or just used to guard the emperor???

They were never used as a police force. It's true that they were occasionally
used to quell riots and restore order, but they were a guard force, not a
police force. The urban cohort and the vigiles performed the duties that a
modern day police force would have. The vigiles were also the fire brigade.

Vale,

CN•EQVIT•MARINVS

A. Tullia Scholastica quirítibus bonae voluntátis S.P.D.

From time to time, those of you who have been here even a short while
will have encountered mention of the Tabularium. Especially for those of
you who are new among us, let me explain a bit about this element of our
government.

The Tabularium is the repository of Nova Roman laws, edicta, and
pontifical decreta. As such, it is our law library, and an archive of the
rules by which we govern ourselves, and by which we governed ourselves in
the past when conditions were different. It is the special province of the
praetores and the praetorian scribae, all the more so since we no longer
have to rely on the webmaster to upload new laws, to correct errors in those
which are onsite, to link them to the index, etc. With the move to the
wikipedia, we can do this ourselves and need not trouble the webmaster.
This, however, has made it easy for those who are not on the praetorian
staff to modify our laws, which are as much a protected part of Nova Roma as
is the censorial data base and the Album Civium; the only difference is that
the latter contain private information, and the former does not. The
temptation is great, but please resist it; our laws have a specific
procedure for making correction in the laws which must be followed.
Moreover, in time, the Tabularium will be a better place, for unlike many of
our past praetores, this praetrix is taking an active role in dealing with
the Tabularium, which is badly in need of organization in order to make it a
more user-friendly place. My cohors is moving law texts from the original
website to the wikipedia, and some should be translating more of them into
assorted languages so that those whose native language is not English can
read the principles by which we are governed in their own languages. In
addition, at least one of them will soon start organizing the laws by
subject, date, etc., so that the Tabularium will be easier to navigate.
This is not an easy task, and it will take time, especially since we must
deal with several laws which were apparently improperly removed from the
Tabularium a few years ago and which must be recovered, corrected, and
reinserted in their proper places in the index. Some of these were
identified, recovered, corrected, and uploaded when I was a scriba for
former praetor M. Iulius Perusianus a couple of years ago, but were never
linked to the index, so were accessible only to those who knew their URLs;
the rest must be subjected to a similar process and made available to the
citizenry. All had been rescinded, but as a part of our history, they
belong in the Tabularium. We in the praetorian cohors ask for your patience
while this task is in progress, and ask that those who are not on the
praetorian staff detailed to this project not attempt to work on the
Tabularium. If any citizen really has a compulsion to do so, please contact
me offlist and we can discuss adding you to the Cohors; in particular, I am
looking for full assiduus citizens who can translate English into German
(native German speakers with good English abilities).

Valete,

A. Tullia Scholastica
Praetrix


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

D. Aemilius Severus Cn. Cornelio Lentulo Omnibusque S.P.D.

(Please let me know if I have errors in the opening, as I am still learning)

I saw your post as Dominus Factionis Russatae regarding joining the mailing
list, but it indicated that "if you are a member of Russata". My question
is how do I go about joining the Reds?

I am obviously new to this and don't really grasp the whole thing yet, but
hopefully someone will point me in the right direction and I can potentially
participate.

Thank you in advance for your assistance.

Di te incolumem custodiant.

D�AEMILIVS�SEVERVS

On 2/26/07, Gnaeus Cornelius Lentulus <cn_corn_lent@...> wrote:
>
> Cn. Cornelius Lentulus, Dominus Factionis Russatae, Quiritibus sal.:
>
>
> If you are a member of the Russata, please join our new mailinglist!
>
> http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/factio_russata/
>
> Then we will elect our new leader.
>
>
> C�r�te, ut� vale�tis!
>
> CN LENTVLVS
> DOMINVS FACTIONIS RUSSATAE
>
>
> ---------------------------------
> L'email della prossima generazione? Puoi averla con la nuova Yahoo! Mail
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Fl. Galerius Aurelianus Propraetor Am. Austrorientalis S.P.D.

I agree with the sentiments expressed thus far that paying taxes helps to
strengthen Nova Roma financially and that it is a very important argument to
become one of the assidui. I would also like to add that the individual
provinces and the Praefecture of Italia could reap greater benefits if the
individual governors (& Praefect) would collect the taxes so as to insure that
provincial events & projects could be guaranteed. Each governor is required to
submit a budget for their province to the Senate each Fall. It outlines the
projected expenditures and/or earnings for the province as well as any events.
The leges of Nova Roma authorizes provincial governors to collect the taxes
for Nova Roma, retain half, and forward the rest to the central treasury along
with information on those who paid the tax. Governors who choose not to
take advantage of this can still request monies from the central administration
for provincial events or projects but there will be Paypal fees and/or other
expenses that will cost Nova Roma revenue.

Apollonarius Cordus is correct that it is sometimes a bit of a mystery where
the money goes initially although the Nova Roma budget is usually posted on
the ML. However, there is usually very little in the budget about projects
that are specifically targeted towards the growth of Nova Roma. We have a
scholarship fund & money has been set aside for it and I would love to see one
of our assidui citizens apply for it. We have citizens working to make
courses taken at the Academia Thule accredited. Some provinces have held live
events and others are working toward holding live events. Tax money would be
very helpful to see that those events actually happen.

I am eager to have the Senate and Consuls determine the tax rate for this
year as it will allow an opportunity for growth and more live participation to
occur in my province. I am also thankful that there has been some discussion
of providing the assistance of the Quaestores to the provinces.

Taxes are a good thing for Nova Roma and I encourage everyone to speak with
their governor (or Praefect) about collecting the taxes locally. The
Consulship of Paulinus and Faustus offers us all an opportunity for growth,
expansion, and increasing our Romanitas.

Valete.
<BR><BR><BR>**************************************<BR> AOL now offers free
email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at
http://www.aol.com


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

On 3/4/07, D. Aemilus Severus <daemilivssevervs@...> wrote:

> I saw your post as Dominus Factionis Russatae regarding joining the mailing
> list, but it indicated that "if you are a member of Russata". My question
> is how do I go about joining the Reds?
>

Salve Severus,

To join the Reds, go to your Album Civium page
(http://www.novaroma.org/civitas/album) login and click the "My
Account" button. Once there, one of the options is "Racing Faction"
simply declare your faction, then join the appropriate mailing list.

Ti Octavius Avitus (Red team)
--
Men are haunted by the vastness of eternity.
And so we ask ourselves: will our actions
echo across centuries?
Will strangers hear our names long after
we are gone, and wonder who we were,
how bravely we fought, how fiercely we loved?

The Praetorian Guard was used specifically to guard the Emperor and
accompany him on campaigns but it was also used to bolster the garrison, or urban
cohorts, of the city of Rome and act as riot police, if necessary. The walls
that were erected around Rome during the reign of the Kings had fallen into
disuse by the time of Augustus and the camp of the Praetorians was originally
walled off from the city during the reign of Tiberius. During the reign of
Augustus and part of the reign of Tiberius, the praetorian cohorts were
scattered. It was under the praetorian tribunate of Sejanus that they were
consolidated in one camp. There was also a unit of cavalry established by Trajan and
a German corps of bodyguards with their own camps in Rome. During the reign
of Aurelian (270-275), new walls were built around the city of Rome and these
were raised in height by later emperors.

During the late Republic, three urban cohorts were established to patrol
the streets of Rome and act as a garrison force. During the Principate and
Imperium, these urban cohorts were consecutively numbered after the 10 or 12
praetorian cohorts. There were also units of firefighters called 'vigiles'
established and equipped with special equipment. While neither the urban cohorts
or vigiles were equipped and trained for regular military service, they were
organized on military guidelines and were armed & armored (after a fashion).
There is a Monteforino helmet from the 1st century that is stamped with the
name and unit of a vigile.

One of the best short titles on the Praetorians is THE PRAETORIAN GUARD by
Dr. Boris Rankov & Richard Hook, in the Osprey Elite Series (no. 50). This
work also discusses the urban cohorts, the German corps of bodyguards, the
cavalry units of the Equites Singulares Augusti & Equites Praetoriani, and the
history of the Guard until its final dissolution under Constantine.

Fl. Galerius Aurelianus
<BR><BR><BR>**************************************<BR> AOL now offers free
email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at
http://www.aol.com


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

In a message dated 3/4/2007 3:41:54 PM Pacific Standard Time,
warrior44_us@... writes:
Never heard specifically, but was the Praetorian's used as a police
force, or just used to guard the emperor???

The Praetorian Guard was the formalization of an Army leader's bodyguard his
Praetorians.

It usually was a maniple (40 men) or a century (100-80 men). It was their
job to protect the Gerneral during battle, mount guard while he was in camp, and
escort him while in enemy country. The name came from the early Republic to
those Patrician body guards that used to guard the Praetors when they were
moving outside Italy.

When the Republic became the Principate, and Octavius, Imperator Augustus, he
picked centuries from all 66 legiones to be his Praetorians, Cassius Dio
doesn't say why, but its obvious that Augustus wanted to include soldiers from all
his army, and not just one part.
Also what was not generally known, was that the Praetorians were not allowed
in the city at first, but were stationed in the cities outside Rome in the
province of Latium. The laws of the Republic did not allow Roman soldiers within
its sacred precinct, only two Romans, Marius, and Sulla had broken this rule
and look how they ended their lives. So Augustus treaded rather cautiously.
Once Augustus secured the Tribuneship he felt on safer ground
and the Praetorian Barracks were constructed occupying the plain between the
Viminal, Caelian and Esquiline hills. 300 soldiers were picked on a monthly
rotation to stand guard on the Emperor's apartments, the Senate house, and the
treasury.

The Guard was organized like a typical legio (legion) for administrative
purposes with nine cohorts of 500 each. Later they were increased to 14 cohorts
and when the German bodyguard was attached as well, 16.
The force was commanded by the Praefect of the praetorium who was a knight
and answered to the Emperor only.
Each cohort was officered by a military Tribune, and 6 centurions. The
Praetorians because of the need for speed had 1/5th of each cohort trained to ride.
Modern interpretations that this meant that 1/5 were mounted does not equal
the description nor the archeological evidence recovered from the barracks'
excavations. Nor does there seem to be a large stable area in the barracks.
The obvious answer is each cohort had around 100 men trained to ride if
necessary.
During the civil war of 69 AD those sent off to fight Aulus Vitellius were
organized in three cohort vexilliations. By 70 AD they were reduced 16 to 9
cohorts again. While they were organized as cohorts, they operated in maniples.

The maniple use made sense, Praetorians were usually sent to arrest people
that the Emperor had declared enemy of the state, and the Praetorians were an
extension of his power, rarely would any Roman give resistance to forty armed
men. However only the Emperor and his designated lieutenants could order the
Praetorians around. So the City Praefectus or his magistrates could not control
them. They were not a police force for Rome.


Later the size of the cohorts were raised to 800-1000, but that lies outside
the scope of your question.

Q. Fabius Maximus





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

T. Flavius Aquila Omnibus salutem plurimam dicit.

I thank the Consul Faustus for addressing this topic. As Consul Faustus
has asked for I gladly support
the Contio with my opinion and ideas.

Like every other state in the world our Republic needs our money,taxes, to
enable it to grow ,develop , to take
care of the well-being of its infrastructure . I know that paying taxes is
not a welcomed task, it has not been
in Roma Antiqua and it never will be , but as long as our state , our
Republic, has no other means to generate
income we need to pay them.

I fully trust the honorable Patres conscripti, their wisdom and knowledge
to use our taxes worthy, how to best take
care of the taxes for the benefit of our Republic and the citizens of
Nova Roma.

I will increase my taxes by a contribution to Nova Roma and I would like
to encourage all citizens to do so
as well ,according to their capabilities.

I think it is a very good custom and I fully support it, to grant 50% of
the taxes back to the provinces for their
work and further progress.To whom is the money transferred to in the
provinces, to the Propraetores ?

Time wise I am more than willing to provide my time to strengthen our
Republic.

Di vos incolumes custodiant !

Optime valete !

Titus Flavius Aquila






[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Salvete Omnes,

any news yet about the results of the election of the fifth Tribunus
Plebis ?

Valete optime
Titus Flavius Aquila

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

OSD C. Equitius Cato

Salvete omnes!

Hodie est ante diem III Nones Martias; hodiernus dies comitialis est.

"When Aurora, Tithonus' bride, shall have begun
To shed dew from her saffron cheeks at the fifth dawn,
The constellation, whether you call it Arctophylax,
Or dull Bootes, will have been sinking, fleeing your sight.
But even the Grape-Gatherer will not yet have escaped you:
The origin of that star-name also can be swiftly told.
It's said that hairy Ampelus, son of a nymph and satyr,
Was loved by Bacchus, among the Ismarian hills:
The god entrusted him with a vine, trailing from an elm's
Leafy boughs, and the vine takes its name from the boy's.
While on a branch rashly picking the shining grapes.
He fell: but Liber raised the fallen youth to the stars." - Ovid,
Fasti III

"In the center [of the Shield of Herakles] was Phobos, worked in
adamant, unspeakable, staring backwards with eyes that glowed with
fire. His mouth was full of teeth in a white row, fearful and
daunting, and upon his grim brow hovered frightful Eris who arrays the
throng of men ... Upon the shield Proioxis and Palioxis were wrought,
and Homados, and Phobos, and Androktasie. Eris also, and Kydoimos were
hurrying about, and deadly Fate." - Shield of Heracles 139f

This month is dedicated to Mars, the god of War. Mars was a much more
personable deity than his Greek counterpart, Ares. Ares was pure
slaughter, unbridled ferocity in battle; Phobos was the
personification of fear and horror. He was the son of Ares and
Aphrodite. He, his brother Deimos, and the goddess Enyo accompanied
Ares into battle, along with his father's attendants, Trembling and
Panic. His Roman equivalent was Timor. Deimos was the personification
of dread. His Roman equivalent was Formido or Metus. Enyo was an
ancient goddess known by the epithet "Waster of Cities" and frequently
depicted as being covered in blood and carrying weapons of war. She
was frequently portrayed as a companion of Ares, the chief god of war,
and has been variously said to be his mother or sister. She was
occasionally said to be one of the Graeae.

Enyo's Roman counterpart, Bellona, like Ares's counterpart Mars, was
much more popular. She is believed to be one of the numinous gods of
the Romans (without a particular mythology and possibly of Etruscan
origin), and is supposed by many to have been the Romans' original war
deity, predating the identification of Mars with Ares. Her name,
Bellona, is derived from the Latin word for "war" (bellum), and is
directly related to the modern English word "belligerent" (lit.,
"war-bearing"). In art, she is portrayed with a helmet, sword, spear,
and torch.

Politically, all Senate meetings relating to foreign war were
conducted in the Templum Bellonae (Temple of Bellona) on the Collis
Capitolinus outside the pomerium. This temple was built in 296 B.C.

Valete bene!

Cato



SOURCES

Homer, Ovid, Wikipedia

Cn. Lentulus Ti. Octavio sal.:

Thank you, Octavi, for answering Aemilius' question!

Vale!
LENTVLVS
Dominus Factionis Russatae




---------------------------------
L'email della prossima generazione? Puoi averla con la nuova Yahoo! Mail

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Good Day:

Using the forms at the NR Wiki site, I have mailed all members of the
Collegium Pontificum, and I've sent an email directly to the honorable
Marcus Cassius Iulianus, but I have not gotten a response from any. Is
there something wrong with the mailing forms there? It's been a few
weeks now.


GAT

Gaius Fabius Buteo Modianus Galo Agorio Taurino salutem dicit

The e-mail was received and I forwarded it to the Collegium Pontificum
e-mail list. It is up to the Pontifex Maximus whether or not he will
present your application for a vote. I have noticed no comments on your
application.

Vale:

Gaius Fabius Buteo Modianus

On 3/5/07, Galus Agorius Taurinus <g_agorius_taurinus@...> wrote:
>
>
> Good Day:
>
> Using the forms at the NR Wiki site, I have mailed all members of the
> Collegium Pontificum, and I've sent an email directly to the honorable
> Marcus Cassius Iulianus, but I have not gotten a response from any. Is
> there something wrong with the mailing forms there? It's been a few
> weeks now.
>
> GAT
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

--- In Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com, "A. Apollonius Cordus"
<a_apollonius_cordus@...> wrote:

Salve, Omnes,

I too believe it is important to pay one's taxes because Nova Roma
is important to us and therefore we truly wish to support her. If
we are deligent to read the posts and vote for our representatives,
we should be satisfied as to where the money is going and have some
trust to how it is applied. However, it is good to have an
accounting.

But, it is the way with men (and women) to try to get away with
paying as little as possible. And it may happen that the only
citizens who pay taxes are the ones who are either holding office or
who are very motivated by Nova Roma herself. So, I believe there
should be some incintive to those who pay taxes over those who
don't. It could be a certificate declaring a citizen a "tax paying
citizen of Nova Roma" which is suitable for framing or to be able to
recieve a mailed newsletter that non-taxpayers do not receive. This
will motivate those who aren't so active to become tax paying
citizens.

This is just my idea. I belong to another group (nothing to do with
Rome) that I am not very active with, but I want to receive the
newsletter so I continue to pay my dues.

Valente,

C. Iulia Cicurina

> A. Apollonius Cn. Equitio sal.
>
> Scripsisti:
>
> > Consul Faustus has asked for a Contio to discuss taxes. I have

a request to

> > add to this: Would all senators and magistrates please withhold

comment for

> > the first 24 hours or so in order that the people might speak

freely without

> > influence by the more senior among us, please? There is a

military custom of

> > asking for input from the most junior first, and the most senior

last, in

> > order to insure that the more senior do not unduly influence the

discussion.

> > I think we'd do well to follow that custom here too.
>
> As to military customs, I take your word for it. There is,

however, an ancient Roman custom that in a contio the speakers are
called to give their opinions on order of seniority. This enables
the best informed and most experienced speakers to set the framework
for the debate and to identify the principal issues. Less senior
speakers thus benefit from the opinions of their predecessors and
are saved from embarrassing themselves, and wasting the time of
others, by making remarks which are irrelevant or ill-informed.

>
> You say the purpose of the military custom is "to ensure that the

more senior do not unduly influence the discussion". I do not think
a Roman of the old republic would have understood the suggestion
that the influence of senior speakers on a discussion could
be "undue". The procedures adopted by the ancient Romans in a
contio, in the comitia, in the senate, and in every other occasion
of public debate, were founded on the belief that it is highly
desirable for such debate to be influenced by the the most senior
participants. The idea that such influence could be a bad thing is
entirely contrary to the ethos of Roman public life.

>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Of course, the flip side of this is that I'm implicitly asking our

more junior

> citizens to please speak up during the next day. So please do.
>
> Valete,
>
> CN•EQVIT•MARINVS
>
>
> Messages in this topic (6)
>

_____________________________________________________________________
___

>
> 2c. Contio
> Posted by: "Michael Ponte" superponte@... lcpontonius
> Date: Fri Mar 2, 2007 6:58 pm ((PST))
>
> Salvete!
>
> I thought I would step in and offer my opinions as a regular

citizen in

> ur fine Republic in this Contio.
>
> As a Citizen living in Nova Britannia my opinion on the yearly

taxes is

> that they are fair- by standards in Nova Britannia. In Nova

Britannia, we

> are sadly, used to paying relatively large sums of money to live

here in the

> United States. With the exception of possibly New Hampshire which

has lower

> taxes, we all pay higher than normal taxes and fees for the

majority of the

> continental United States. Therefore, as an average US citizen in

Nova

> Britannia, I feel the US tax rate is very reasonable
>
> Standards of living change and new issues are constantly arising

concerning

> the individual economies of the world. I only hope that those

responsible

> for setting the tax rate for all the provinces of Nova Roma do the

utmost to

> completely and effectively research the individual economies of

the

> provinces and set a fair tax rate, which is affordable for

citizens, while

> preserving the basic funds necessary to run Nova Roma.
>
> As always, thought must be given to the future aims of the

Republic and

> what funds will be necessary to achieve whatever course we set

upon. Let our

> course be a good one, and let our beloved Magistrates do what is

best for

> the citizens and the future of Nova Roma.
>
> Valete,
> Lucius Cassus Pontonius.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Lucius Arminius Faustus" <lafaustus@...>
> To: "nova-roma" <Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Friday, March 02, 2007 6:37 PM
> Subject: [Nova-Roma] Calling a Contio
>
>
> Consul L. Arminius Faustus to all roman people of the quirites,
>
> By Contio we call the discussion made with the People on public

foruns

> when called by a magistrate. Before an election of any Comitia, the
> Contio was the section of discussions by the subjects put for the
> Comitia vote. When an election, it was time for the candidates

(from

> the word 'candidus' - ´white´ which was the color of the toga they
> wear) to get more votes. If it was a law, or peace treat to be

voted,

> the romans discussed its conditions. The Contio was also a time for
> the tribunes or magistrates exercise their veto, when possible.
>
> On Ancient Rome the Comitia and Contio happened at the same day. On
> NR, due to the necessities to reach people on the four corners of

the

> word, the Contio and elections happens on a series of days, which
> causes us some trouble to get the right ´time´ of continuous days
> comitiales, ie, days which a voting can happen. Well, 20 centuries
> made some changes...
>
> The Contio, however, is not subjected to a voting after. The

Contio is

> an invitation for discussion. I believe the Contio is a way to
> concentrate the attention on a certain subject. The use of Contio

in

> NR was made my great predecessor, Consul Marinus, with good

results.

> So, good examples of the past must be followed. So, I invite the
> citizens for a discussion.
>
> Some will say it has no diference between a simple discussion on

ML.

> In fact, it has not. On Ancient, nothing prevented the romans to

join

> and discuss something on the forum. However, due to the auspices

the

> magistrates carries, it is a good omen and beloved by the gods

when a

> magistrate asks. So, since we believe the roman gods watch over

this

> Republic, besides all our human frailty, I think they will help the
> citizens to exchange ideas and reach better comprehension.
>
> Soon, NR are going to ask the citizens its taxes for this year. On

all

> my years on NR, I see no other subject is more heated, and no

subject

> is more needed. I invite all citizens to discuss it for this week.

I

> believe discussing we reach the truth (I am a bit scholastic). The
> approuch of theme is free. Open your hearts, quirites, because the
> magistrates and the gods are listening.
>
> These are few guidelines I ask:
>
> I ask the citizens to write [Contio] on the subject of the email

to be

> sent to this list, so it can be followed easier.
>
> The Contio has no other rules than this list rules, respect all

times,

> as the praetores had written on their current edictum about
> moderation.
>
> I expect the result of this big discussion and reflexion will be a
> better comprehension of the necessities of the Res Publica when the
> time of the taxes comes.
>
> May queen Minerva and the muses bless you, oh citizens, specially

dear

> Polimnia. Consider, oh quirites, the same muse of the sacred hymns

is

> the muse of rethoric. Because for the gods, exchanging ideas

trying to

> reach a consensus gives them as pleasure as an hymn.
>
>
> --
> Valete bene in pacem deorum,
> L. Arminius Faustus
>
> "Vigilando, agendo, bene consulendo, prospera omnia cedunt" -

Salustius

>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
> Messages in this topic (6)
>

_____________________________________________________________________
___

>
> 2d. [Contio]
> Posted by: "M. Lucretius Agricola" wm_hogue@...

marcus_lucretius_agricola

> Date: Fri Mar 2, 2007 9:47 pm ((PST))
>
> M. Lucretius Agricola Omnibus S.P.D.
>
> The tax is for me roughly equal to my round trip train fare to/from
> work for one day, that is to say, nearly trivial when compared to

my

> costs in general.
>
> More than anything, I think that paying the tax is a vote of
> confidence in the future of Nova Roma. Additionally, it is my
> understanding that governors can request that a large portion of

the

> tax for each province be returned to the provincial treasury and

that

> these funds could be used to support local events. This is a fine
> thing and should be supported most strongly. I urge citizens to pay
> the voluntary tax and to work diligently towards creating more

local

> events.
>
> Optime valete!
>
>
>
>
> Messages in this topic (6)
>

_____________________________________________________________________
___

>
> 2e. Re: [Contio] Calling a Contio
> Posted by: "Bob Johnson" jbshr1pwa@... robert574674
> Date: Sat Mar 3, 2007 12:56 am ((PST))
>
> Gnaeus Equitius Marinus <gawne@...> wrote:
>
> Consul Faustus has asked for a Contio to discuss

taxes. ........I have a request .............to asking our more
junior citizens to please speak up during the next day. So please do.

>
> Salvete omnes
>
> Well, I for one announce my intention to pay taxes as soon as

the opportunity opens up. I think it importanmt to pay, not only to
help raise money for the maintenance and development of the Res
Publica and its projects, but also to make the citizens feel part of
the community by contributing a little and coming together in this
act.We seem to do relatively little as one mass movement all acting
at once in one way, yet payment of taxes seems to me to be exactly
that, the people acting as one for the good of the state.

>
> While not suggesting that our ancient brethren actually welcomed

the opportunity to pay with open arms, I believe that we should so
that we can at least share in one act together, and at the same time
contribute to the well-being of our homeland.

>
> Valete Optime!
>
> Gauis Marcius Crispus
> (Britannia)
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
> Messages in this topic (6)
>

_____________________________________________________________________
___

>
> 2f. Re: [Contio]
> Posted by: "Lucius Iunius Bassus" iunius_verbosus@...

luciusiunius

> Date: Sat Mar 3, 2007 1:45 am ((PST))
>
> L. Iunius Bassus omnibus s.d.
>
> I'm just finishing college, and my finances are a bit tight while

I'm seeking work and trying

> to figure out what to do with the rest of my life. Nevertheless,

I'm eager to do my part and

> pay taxes. For my part, though, I very interested in knowing what

exactly my tax

> contibution will lend to, and I feel some skepticism over the

notion that citizens ought

> never to know the full proceedings of the Senate. That said, I

join in encouraging all of my

> fellow recent citizens to contribute to our Res Publica.
>
> Valete.
>
> --- In Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com, "M. Lucretius Agricola"

<wm_hogue@> wrote:

> >
> > M. Lucretius Agricola Omnibus S.P.D.
> >
> > The tax is for me roughly equal to my round trip train fare

to/from

> > work for one day, that is to say, nearly trivial when compared

to my

> > costs in general.
> >
> > More than anything, I think that paying the tax is a vote of
> > confidence in the future of Nova Roma. Additionally, it is my
> > understanding that governors can request that a large portion of

the

> > tax for each province be returned to the provincial treasury and

that

> > these funds could be used to support local events. This is a fine
> > thing and should be supported most strongly. I urge citizens to

pay

> > the voluntary tax and to work diligently towards creating more

local

> > events.
> >
> > Optime valete!
> >
>
>
>
>
> Messages in this topic (6)
>

_____________________________________________________________________
___

>

_____________________________________________________________________
___

>
> 3. [Contio] The tax of time
> Posted by: "Lucius Arminius Faustus" lafaustus@...
> Date: Fri Mar 2, 2007 5:12 pm ((PST))
>
> Salvete, quirites
>
> Well, I think I should give the example and quick the ball for the
> first time, and share with the citizens my personal opinion to

start

> this week of reflexion.
>
> On NR, we pay not just a tax on money. We pay two: The pay on money
> and time. Many you will see, specially the older like me, the

value of

> the time they spent on NR was bigger than all taxes payed.
>
> As consul, it is my duty to ask the citizens to pay the incoming

tax,

> with joy and responsability. As citizen, I believe it is a right of
> all to demand the magistrates and Senate to use them worthy.
>
> However, I ask the citizens to not forget the heaviest tax is the

tax

> of time we always must pay with pleasure, and spent it as worthy

as we

> would spend the money itself. When I consider the many fields NR

needs

> ´manpower´ (I do not mean the magistratures only, but the many
> solidalitas we have) I think how much bills of tax we must pay! How
> many fields NR was to make the citizens satisfied and happy!
>
> So, citizens, use this time of reflexion to think in what field of
> Romanitas we could serve better this beloved Organization. I see

the

> fascination NR generates on us almost supernatural, I believe we

are

> here not in vane. When a citizen discover its place on the fabric

of

> NR, there is no way to leave the Republic.
>
> Search NR. Share knowledge. Discover your place here.
> NR, like Rome itself, may make ´as city what before was world´.
>
> --
> Valete bene in pacem deorum,
> L. Arminius Faustus CSL
>
> "Vigilando, agendo, bene consulendo, prospera omnia cedunt" -

Salustius

>
>
> Messages in this topic (1)
>

_____________________________________________________________________
___

>

_____________________________________________________________________
___

>
> 4. VI Conventus Novae Romae, 3/3/2007, 12:00 am
> Posted by: "Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com" Nova-

Roma@yahoogroups.com

> Date: Fri Mar 2, 2007 5:14 pm ((PST))
>
> Reminder from: Nova-Roma Yahoo! Group
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Nova-Roma/cal
>
> VI Conventus Novae Romae
> Saturday March 3, 2007
> 12:00 am - 1:00 am
> (This event repeats every week until Thursday August 9, 2007.)
> Location: http://www.novaroma.org/nr/VI_Conventus_Novae_Romae
>
> Notes:
> Brush up your Latin and get your tickets for the VI Conventus

Novae Romae in Emerita Augusta, Hispania (Merida, Spain).

>
>
> All Rights Reserved
> Copyright © 2007
> Yahoo! Inc.
> http://www.yahoo.com
>
> Privacy Policy:
> http://privacy.yahoo.com/privacy/us
>
> Terms of Service:
> http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
> Messages in this topic (1)
>

_____________________________________________________________________
___

>

_____________________________________________________________________
___

>
> 5. Calendarius Nundinalis VIII
> Posted by: "Q. Caecilius Metellus" postumianus@... q_caecilius
> Date: Fri Mar 2, 2007 6:10 pm ((PST))
>
> Q. Caecilius Metellus Quiritibus salutem.
>
> For the coming nundinum, beginning today, the calendar will be

thus as

> decreed by the Collegium Pontificum:
>
> a.d. V Non. Mar., Fastus, Religiosus
> a.d. IV Non. Mar., Comitialis, Religiosus
> a.d. III Non. Mar., Comitialis, Religiosus
> pr. Non. Mar., Comitialis, Religiosus
> Non. Mar., Fastus, Religiosus
> a.d. VIII Id. Mar., Fastus, Ater
> a.d. VII Id. Mar., Comitialis, Religiosus
> a.d. VI Id. Mar., Comitialis, Religiosus
> a.d. V Id. Mar., Comitialis, Religiosus
>
> The feriae publicae stativae to be observed during this period are:
>
> Feriae Marti (Kal. Mar to a.d. IX Kal. Apr.)
>
> For more information on the character of the days, please reference
> http://www.novaroma.org/nr/Responsum_Pontificum_de_Diebus_%

28Nova_Roma%29

> http://www.novaroma.org/nr/Roman_Calendar or, as always, you may

send a

> private message to me.
>
> Optime Valete in Pace Deorum,
>
> QVINTVS·CAECILIVS·L·F·SAB·METELLVS·POSTVMIANVS
> PONTIFEX
>
>
>
>
> Messages in this topic (1)
>

_____________________________________________________________________
___

>

_____________________________________________________________________
___

>
>
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------

-----

> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------

-----

>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ___________________________________________________________
> Now you can scan emails quickly with a reading pane. Get the new

Yahoo! Mail. http://uk.docs.yahoo.com/nowyoucan.html

>

Salvete omnes

I would like to echo the thoughts of those who have made the valid point that we need to know what the money is needed for, what it is spent on, and how much is actually needed for the various projects.

Therefore, what are the projects, how much does each require for a given drgree of progress, what progress has been made so far, what else needs to be done and what would it cost each of us in tax to achieve the next stage. This would help inform the decisions on how much the tax ought to be.

There should certainly be an accounting, a system of financial reporting, perhaps quarterly, so that we know that the funds are being properly applied, and the books should be audited.

On the principle of "what's in it for me", could there perhaps be some sort of recognition of those who have paid, or perhaps done work that is equivalent of paying, so that there would be some difference between those who give time and money as opposed to those who do lieelt.Perhaps a couple of extra citizen points as a reward?

Valete optime

Gaius Marcius Crispus
Britannia




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

On 3/5/07, Bob Johnson <jbshr1pwa@...> wrote:

> On the principle of "what's in it for me", could there perhaps be some sort of recognition of those who have paid, or perhaps done work that is equivalent of paying, so that there would be some difference between those who give time and money as opposed to those who do lieelt.Perhaps a couple of extra citizen points as a reward?

Salve Crispus,

This system is already in place. The "Assidui" are the tax payers of
Nova Roma. They are recognized as such in the Album Civium. The
Assidui may hold public office, and have a few other benefits.

Those who do not pay are Capite Censi, which means they are citizens
who can vote and hold certain jobs, but they are not eligible to be
magistrates.

Ti Octavius Avitus
--
Men are haunted by the vastness of eternity.
And so we ask ourselves: will our actions
echo across centuries?
Will strangers hear our names long after
we are gone, and wonder who we were,
how bravely we fought, how fiercely we loved?

Fl. Galerius Aurelianus G. Agorius Taurinus sal.

I have received nothing from you.

Vale.
<BR><BR><BR>**************************************<BR> AOL now offers free
email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at
http://www.aol.com


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

--- In Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com, "Thomas Fulmer" <tfulmer1@...>
wrote:

>
> On 3/5/07, Bob Johnson <jbshr1pwa@...> wrote:
> > On the principle of "what's in it for me", could there perhaps

be some sort of recognition of those who have paid, or perhaps done
work that is equivalent of paying, so that there would be some
difference between those who give time and money as opposed to those
who do lieelt.Perhaps a couple of extra citizen points as a reward?

>
>
> Salve Crispus,
>
> This system is already in place. The "Assidui" are the tax payers

of

> Nova Roma. They are recognized as such in the Album Civium. The
> Assidui may hold public office, and have a few other benefits.
>
> Those who do not pay are Capite Censi, which means they are

citizens

> who can vote and hold certain jobs, but they are not eligible to be
> magistrates.
>
> Ti Octavius Avitus

Capite Censi are also put into the last century of the V Class and
the urban tribes for the purposes of voting. They are still allowed
to participate in the elections but there influence is greatly
diluted.



As an aside where can I find a list of the tribes, and whether they
are urban or rural?


M. Aurelius Pullo

Marcus Curiatius Complutensis omnes civibus S.P.D.

The Custos Gaius Vipsanius Agrippa has forwarded to me the results of the electecion for the vacant office of Tribunus Plebis.

The results are:

Fl. Galerius Aurelianus - 18 tribes

Marca Hortensia Maior - 11 tribes

6 tribes did not cast any votes.

Valete bene

M�CVRIATIVS�COMPLVTENSIS
TRIBVNVS PLEBIS
PROPRAETOR HISPANIA
SCRIBA CENSORIS GFBM
NOVA ROMA
-----------------------------------------
ex paucis multa, ex minimis maxima

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Marcus Curiatius Complutensis Tribubus Plebis omnes civibus S.P.D.

Salvete


I hereby officially convene the Comitia Plebis Tributa to vote on the Plebiscitum de consecratione.

The contio begins in 06 March ,18:00 Roman Time.
Voting shall begin in 09 March, 18:00 Roman Time.
Voting shall end in 18 March, 18:00 Roman Time.

Text of the plebiscitum.

----------

Lex Curiatia Complutensi De Consecratione

We the Plebians of Nova Roma recognize and accept the results of the election of Tribunus Plebis held in the Comitia Plebis Tributa in 2760 A.U.C. as reported by the Office of the Custodes, and by this act of consecratio afford to the designatus:

Fl. Galerius Aurelianus

the rights, responsibilities, and obligations to exercise on behalf of all Nova Romans, in our name, the Tribunicia Potestas as outlined in Nova Roma law and in accordance with the mos maiorum.

---------

pr. Non. Mar. L. Arminio Ti. Galerio Cos.

Valete

M�CVRIATIVS�COMPLVTENSIS
TRIBVNVS PLEBIS
PROPRAETOR HISPANIA
SCRIBA CENSORIS GFBM
NOVA ROMA
-----------------------------------------
ex paucis multa, ex minimis maxima

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

OSD C. Equitius Cato

Salvete omnes!

Hodie est pridie Nones Martias; hodiernus dies comitialis est.

"When the sixth sun climbs Olympus' slopes from ocean,
And takes his way through the sky behind winged horses,
All you who worship at the shrine of chaste Vesta,
Give thanks to her, and offer incense on the Trojan hearth.
To the countless titles Caesar chose to earn,
The honour of the High Priesthood was added.
Caesar's eternal godhead protects the eternal fire,
You may see the pledges of empire conjoined.
Gods of ancient Troy, worthiest prize for that Aeneas
Who carried you, your burden saving him from the enemy,
A priest of Aeneas' line touches your divine kindred:
Vesta in turn guard the life of your kin!
You fires, burn on, nursed by his sacred hand:
Live undying, our leader, and your flames, I pray." - Ovid, Fasti III

"What plain is not enriched with Latin blood, to bear witness with its
graves to our unholy strife.... What pool or stream has failed to
taste dismal war! What sea has Italian slaughter not discolored! What
coast knows not our blood!" - Horace, Odes and Epodes


"Tarquinius also built the Circus Maximus, which lies between the
Aventine and Palatine Hills, and was the first to erect covered seats
round it on scaffolding (for till then the spectators had stood), the
wooden stands being supported by beams. And dividing the places among
the thirty curiae, he assigned to each curia a particular section, so
that every spectator was seated in his proper place. This work also
was destined to become in time one of the most beautiful and most
admirable structures in Rome. For the Circus is three stades and a
half in length and four plethra in breadth. Round about it on the two
longer sides and one of the shorter sides a canal has been dug, ten
feet in depth and width, to receive water. Behind the canal are
erected porticos three stories high, of which the lowest story has
stone seats, gradually rising, as in the theatres, one above the
other, and the two upper stories wooden seats. The two longer
porticos are united into one and joined together by means of the
shorter one, which is crescent-shaped, so that all three form a single
portico like an amphitheatre, eight stades in circuit and capable of
holding 150,000 persons. The other of the shorter sides is left
uncovered and contains vaulted starting-places for the horses, which
are all opened by means of a single rope. On the outside of the
Circus there is another portico of one story which has shops in it and
habitations over them. In this portico there are entrances and ascents
for the spectators at every shop, so that the countless thousands of
people may enter and depart without inconvenience.

This king also undertook to construct the temple to Jupiter, Juno and
Minerva, in fulfilment of the vow he had made to these gods in his
last battle against the Sabines. Having, therefore, surrounded the
hill on which he proposed to build the temple with high retaining
walls in many places, since it required much preparation (for it was
neither easy of access nor level, but steep, and terminated in a sharp
peak), he filled in the space between the retaining walls and the
summit with great quantities of earth and, by levelling it, made the
place most suitable for receiving temples. But he was prevented by
death from laying the foundations of the temple; for he lived but four
years after the end of the war. Many years later, however, Tarquinius,
the second king after him, the one who was driven from the throne,
laid the founds of this structure and built the greater part of it.
Yet even he did not complete the work, but it was finished under the
annual magistrates who were consuls in the third year after his
expulsion. It is fitting to relate also the incidents that preceded
the building of it as they have been handed down by all the compilers
of Roman history. When Tarquinius was preparing to build the temple
he called the augurs together and ordered them first to consult the
auspices concerning the site itself, in order to learn what place in
the city was the most suitable to be consecrated and the most
acceptable to the gods themselves; and upon their indicating the hill
that commands the Forum, which was then called the Tarpeian, but now
the Capitoline Hill, he ordered them to consult the auspices once more
and declare in what part of the hill the foundations must be laid. But
this was not at all easy; for there were upon the hill many altars
both of the gods and of the lesser divinities not far apart from one
another, which would have to be moved to some other place and the
whole area given up to the sanctuary that was to be built to the gods.
The augurs thought proper to consult the auspices concerning each one
of the altars that were erected there, and if the gods were willing to
withdraw, then to move them elsewhere. The rest of the gods and lesser
divinities, then, gave them leave to move their altars elsewhere, but
Terminus and Juventas, although the augurs besought them with great
earnestness and importunity, could not be prevailed on and refused to
leave their places. Accordingly, their altars were included within the
circuit of the temples, and one of them now stands in the vestibule of
Minerva's shrine and the other in the shrine itself near the statue of
the goddess. From this circumstance the augurs concluded that no
occasion would ever cause the removal of the boundaries of the Romans'
city or impair its vigour; and both have proved true down to my day,
which is already the twenty-fourth generation." - Dionysius of
Halicarnassus 3.68-69

Valete bene!

Cato



SOURCES

Homer, Ovid, Dionysius of Halicarnassus

Salve Marce Aureli,

Marcus Aurelius Pullo <xxfltcom@...> writes:

> As an aside where can I find a list of the tribes, and whether they
> are urban or rural?

We don't yet seem to have a "tribes" page in the Wiki, but you can look at
who's in each tribe by using this URL:

http://www.novaroma.org/civitas/album?cmd=show-tribe&tribe=1

Just change the number at the end and you'll work your way through all 35
tribes. The last four, the urban tribes, are huge.

Vale,

CN•EQVIT•MARINVS

Salvete Omnes,

I am in complete concurrence with this. I would like to know what projects are being worked and the progress, etc. A quarterly report sounds like a good idea.

As a tax paying citizen it isn't necessary for me to have a reward or certificate, but I think it would be nice, hehe. Regardless of the reward or recognition, I will still be diligent of paying my taxes as best I can, rest assured.

Valete,

Annia Minucia Marcella
http://minucia.ciarin.com

----- Original Message -----
From: Bob Johnson
To: Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Monday, March 05, 2007 5:12 PM
Subject: Re: [Nova-Roma] Re: Calling a Contio


Salvete omnes

I would like to echo the thoughts of those who have made the valid point that we need to know what the money is needed for, what it is spent on, and how much is actually needed for the various projects.

Therefore, what are the projects, how much does each require for a given drgree of progress, what progress has been made so far, what else needs to be done and what would it cost each of us in tax to achieve the next stage. This would help inform the decisions on how much the tax ought to be.

There should certainly be an accounting, a system of financial reporting, perhaps quarterly, so that we know that the funds are being properly applied, and the books should be audited.

On the principle of "what's in it for me", could there perhaps be some sort of recognition of those who have paid, or perhaps done work that is equivalent of paying, so that there would be some difference between those who give time and money as opposed to those who do lieelt.Perhaps a couple of extra citizen points as a reward?

Valete optime

Gaius Marcius Crispus
Britannia


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]