Happy Holidays

Three videos to wish our ROMA Family a happy and peaceful holiday.

Saturnalia Press Coverage

We got a mention in Hamlet Au's great New World Notes blog, as well as a nice shout-out to the Legion's blog. Check it out here:

Have A Saturnalia Second Life

Saturnalia Schedule 2008

All Festival Long:

Saturnalia Gift Exchange
Want to share the holiday spirit with your fellow ROMA Citizens and get some back? Then please participate in our ROMA Holiday Gift Exchange! Come to the Forum and ROMA and purchase the empty gift box and packing crate. Instructions inside.

The Lord & Lady of Misrule
All this week we will be voting for our Lord & Lady of Misrule, who will preside over the Grand Feast. If you are interested in entering the voting, please go to the Plaza in ROMA (outside the Tavern) and enter your name on the appropriate board by clicking on the enter button near the bottom of the Contest Board. Entries will be accepted until 6pm Thursday. Voting begins 8am Friday. And the winners will be announced @ the Grand Feast on Sunday.

Friday, 19th December

11am - Ave Weekend Ice Skating Party
Snow and ice have come to ROMA! And to take advantage of this we're having two special Ave Weekend Parties! Come join us in Transtiberim for hot cocoa & holiday sweets while we ice skate to some cool tunes! Location: ROMA Transtiberim Lake

4pm - Transtiberim Sleigh Ride & Cozy Bonfire Dance
"Dashing through the snow, in a one horse open sleigh, o'er the fields we go..." well you get the picture! We will be riding sleighs through Transtiberim to get into the spirit of the season - and bring your sweetie, 'cause our sleighs seat two! We will ride them from one end of the sim to the other, where our Winter Wonderland and cozy fire await us. There will be dancing, munchies, and snowball fighting!

8pm - Ave Weekend Floating Iceburg Party
Our second special Ave Weekend event - ever wanted to party the night away on a glittering, floating isle in the sea? Well now you can! Come dance under the stars, and on the ice, at our Maritima Iceburg Party! But bring your cloaks - we hear that ocean air is chilly this time of year. Location: ROMA Maritima

Saturday, 20th December

10am - Saturnalia Senator Slave Auction
A part of the Saturnalia tradition is role reversal - the high born serving the low, and the low allowed to live it up like kings. To honour this, we bring you the Saturnalia Senator Slave Auction! Bid high enough, and one of ROMA's senators will be your slave for a day! All proceeds go to fund ROMA and the works of the Collegia. Location: ROMA Forum

12pm - The Daily Life of Roman Soldiers - Legion Re-Enactment
It's the holidays, and everyone is surrounded by family and friends in a cozy domus... but wait! Not everyone! Ever wondered what life was like for the Roman Soldier away from home? The Legion will show you! Come join us for a re-enactment of a day in the life of the Roman Legions - how they lived, worked, and trained while serving the glory of Rome! Location: Legion XIII Fort in Ostia (ROMA Transtiberim)

2pm - Saturnalia Ritual & Ritual Feast
A Roman Ritual to honour Saturn and Sol Invictus, followed by a ritual feast with dancing, music, general merry-making. Saturnalia in ancient Rome was one of the most popular festivals of the year. It was marked by a license for mischief and high spirits (within limits) and reversal of social roles, in which slaves and masters switched places. So put on your pileus (freedmans cap), your most colourful clothes, and come party like a Patrician (Even if you're not)! Io Saturnalia! Location: ROMA, Gardens of Maecenas

Sunday, 21st December

12pm - Saturnalia Carnivale
Saturnalia was also popular for the temporary legalisation of all sorts of games - and in honour of this tradition, ROMA has the Saturnalia Carnivale! We will have rides, games of skill, games of sport, and prizes to be won - but the Grand Prize will go to those who conquer the Tower of Doom! What is it? How do you defeat it? Come to the Carnivale and try your skill, nerve, and luck against this behemoth and see! Location: ROMA Fort

4pm - Saturnalia Grand Feast
The Culmination of our Saturnalia festivities! There will be feasting, dancing, and the election of the Saturnalia King & Queen, the Lord and Lady of Misrule, who will be served by none other than our very own Prefect and Estate Managers in honour of Saturnalia's role reversal! We will also have some Saturnalia/Christmas Trivia with prizes to be won! Location: ROMA Transtiberim outside Ostia

ROMA HVNKS Video

Torin has made a short video to commemorate the ROMA HVNKS 2009 Calendar release party last week in the Ludus Arena.

The Calendar is now on sale, highlighting some of the best looking men in ROMA. All proceeds of sale go to help support the operating costs of ROMA.

Come to the Plaza or the Tabularium today to get your copy!

Official ROMA Video

Have you ever had to try and explain ROMA to those outside of SL? Or try to explain ROMA to other SL residents? Torin has made a video to help you out. It gives basic information about all 4 sims in the estate and a lot of fly-overs to some great music.

Torin will follow up this video with another one early next month detailing the festival and event life of ROMA, and a third one after that discussing group life in ROMA.

Torin will also produce some 'build specific' videos that go into more depth around different parts of ROMA.

Subscribe to the RSS feed of this page to get informed of new video releases: ROMA Videos

Or subscribe to Torin's YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/TorinGolding

New ROMA Baths Video

Torin's first video ;)

Roleplay in ROMA (v3)

Avete Citizens!

We are getting ready to roll out a completely revamped system of roleplay rules and opportunities in ROMA. These will include:

• Weekly sponsored roleplay events in ROMA (starting January 09)
  


• A Roleplay Council to help direct roleplay in the estate (starting December 08)
  


• New guidelines for roleplay identities (effective immediately)
  


• A brand new interactive social network (http://romaroleplay.ning.com)operating in conjunction with the Theatrum Romanum group.

To help explain all of the changes and collect together all pertinent ROMA roleplay info, Torin has created a special blog page which can be found here: http://romaroleplay.blogspot.com/

PLEASE NOTE: To make clear the distinction between roleplay and general social identities in ROMA, we have removed the 'ROMA Patrician' and all other roleplay-sounding titles from the ROMA Citizens group. Instead, the default title will be 'ROMA Citizen' ('ROMA Civis' is also available as an option for those who prefer Latin- ask Torin, Angelia, or MajorMatt to get access to that title). This will keep the ROMA Citizens group as a social and notification group, which is its intent.

New ROMA Attraction: The Missing Egyptian Game

Big news in ROMA!

A new interactive game has been built by the Prefect. It is called the "Mystery of the Missing Egyptian" and will allow you to access never-before accessible tunnels of the Cloaca Maxima.

The game was designed primarily to help new visitors and Citizens learn about ROMA, including the various groups and events in the estate. But anyone can play (and there are 3 different possible outcomes).

To play the game, find the new room attached to the Customs House (Please note that the traffic pattern through the Customs House has been changed slightly). Inside this new room you will find Pakoumis, the Head Librarian of the Library of Alexandria in ROMA. Click him and pay attention to his words to begin the game.

There are over 20 new freebies available inside the game for players to collect too!

(Group Officers: If you have any free items that you would like to be made available in the 'Citizen-Run Group' portion of the game, please drop them on Torin and he will happily add them.)

Enjoy!

ROMA @ II Video

A FANTASTIC new video has been made by our resident filmmaker JT Vale.

It shows highlights from the recent ROMA @ II celebrations.

You can watch it here.

[ Be sure to stick around for the final 'stinger' ;) ]

Well done JT!

New LEGIO Blog Site

The LEGIO XIII group has started its own blog site. You can find it here:

http://legioxiiisl.blogspot.com/

Contact Brodbiz Bagration for more information.

ROMA @ II Celebrations!

October 2008 marks the second anniversary of the opening of ROMA as its own estate. This makes ROMA the original ancient Roman themed land in Second Life. To mark this birthday we are holding a week of events from 12-18 October.

Here is a full schedule:

=================

ALL WEEK LONG EVENTS:

• THE “II IN ROMA” PHOTO CONTEST

Over L$7000 in prize money is available to be won during this contest which will run the length of the festival. See the official rules on the photo board in the ROMA Plaza.

• BUMPER CHARIOTS

During the festival, Bumper Chariots can be rezzed around the estate. You can drive these anywhere in the estate (beware that they will de-rez when you stand up!)

The ROMA Fort will be turned into a Bumper Chariot Ring- come here and play with your friends!

• ROMA MERCHANTS DISPLAY

There will be a display offering freebies from our ROMA Merchants in the Julian Plaza, just over the sim line in the Subura.

• ROMA MARITIMA FUND RAISER

Donation boxes will be scattered around the estate soliciting donations to help with the purchase price of our new ocean sim, ROMA Maritima! Please donate if you can and that money will go to support the cost of the new sim.

=================

12 OCTOBER (Sunday)

10 am - ROMA Blessing Ritual
The priests and priestesses from the Collegium will perform a public blessing of ROMA to open the festival. Afterwards there will be dancing! (Location: ROMA Throne Room)

12pm Live Music- Stella!
Sella Silvansky will come and give a live music concert to keep the party moving. (Location: ROMA Throne Room)

4pm ROMA Scholastica Symposium: Latin Beyond Rome
William Gide will present a talk as part of the lecture series sponsored by the ROMA Scholastica group. (Location: ROMA Basilica)

=================

13 OCTOBER (Monday)

11am Fishing Contest
Come take part in the 7Seas Fishing Contest in ROMA. First, second, and third place winners will get a cash prize, and everyone will be able to keep the neat things they pull out of the water. (Location: Lake Trasimenus in ROMA Transtiberim)

6pm Night Fishing Contest
Come take part in the 7Seas Fishing Contest in ROMA under the stars. First, second, and third place winners will get a cash prize, and everyone will be able to keep the neat things they pull out of the water. (Location: Lake Trasimenus in ROMA Transtiberim)

=================

14 OCTOBER (Tuesday)

1pm ROMA Scholastica Symposium: The Etruscan Roots of Roman Religion
Ludovik Cazenove will present a talk as part of the lecture series sponsored by the ROMA Scholastica group. (Location: ROMA Basilica)

2:15pm Gladiator Fights!
The Ludus Dacicus Gladiatorii group in ROMA will sponsor exciting gladiator bouts in the arena in Ostia. There will be cash prizes for the winners. Those wishing to take part should make sure they are members in good standing of the Ludus group and make their intention to fight to the group's officers. (Location: Ludus Arena, Ostia in ROMA Transtiberim)

=================

15 OCTOBER (Wednesday)

4pm ROMA Scholastica Symposium: Latin Beyond Rome
William Gide will present a repeat performance of his talk as part of the lecture series sponsored by the ROMA Scholastica group. (Location: ROMA Basilica)

=================

16 OCTOBER (Thursday)

1pm Military Triumph
The Legion XIII and LEGIO groups will stage a massive triumph in the ancient Roman style, parading through ROMA to the Capitoline Temple, where ROMA’s priests and priestesses will perform a blessing ritual. (Location: Come watch anywhere along the parade route)

2pm Treasure Hunt
Immediately following the triumph, a large treasure hunt and live-action contest will be held in the estate. Cash prizes for the winners!

6 pm The Origins of the Senate
Senator and Censor Mickey James will present a public talk on the origins of the ancient Roman Senate. (Location: ROMA Basilica)

=================

17 OCTOBER (Friday)

11am Special Ave Weekend Party
Start your weekend off with some great dancing and chat. (Location: TBA)

1pm ROMA Scholastica Symposium: Caligula - A Mad Tyrant?
Serafina Itano will present a talk as part of the lecture series sponsored by the ROMA Scholastica group. (Location: ROMA Basilica)

8pm Special Ave Weekend Party
Start your weekend off with some great dancing and chat. (Location: TBA)

=================

18 OCTOBER (Saturday)

12 pm ROMA Scholastica Symposium: Gender & Sex in Ancient Greece and Rome
CatDeville Llewellyn will present a talk as part of the lecture series sponsored by the ROMA Scholastica group. (Location: ROMA Basilica)

4pm ROMA Halloween Costume Party
Halloween comes early in ROMA! This feast and dance will mark the official end of the ROMA @ II celebrations. There will also be prizes and a trivia contest. (Location: TBA)

Ludi Romani Schedule

Saturday, 13th September

11:30am - Roman Ritual for Jupiter Optimus Maximus @ ROMA Transtiberim

A ritual to honour the King of the Gods, Jupiter Optimus Maximus, followed by a light social gathering with dancing and feasting. Come join us in celebrating the beginning of the Ludi Romani!


12pm - Ludi Romani Chariot Races @ the Circus Maximus Hippodrome in ROMA

A traditional part of the ancient Ludi Romani were chariot races - and for our Ludi Romani, we have our own! Come race against other Citizens for prizes (anyone can sign up to race), or come watch the spectacle and cheer on the racers as you drink wine and nibble Rich Imperialist Tidbits. There will be 3 races of 3 laps each, and 1st place in each race wins a prize!


2pm - Jovian Nymph & Faun Chase through ROMA Transtiberim

One of the favourite pastimes of the Gods was chasing beautiful nymphs (much to the Goddesses chagrin), and Jupiter was no exception. For our Ludi Romani, you'll get to chase our ROMA nymphs & fauns. Chase them around Transtiberim and try to tag them - the one who tags the most nymphs or fauns will receive a prize!

Sunday, 14th September

9am - Ludi Romani Carnivale in ROMA Transtiberim

Come have fun at our Ludi Romani Carnivale! There are games to play, rides to enjoy, and free food! Some games even have prizes to be won! The Carnivale also features a kissing booth, where you can get a kiss from a lovely Priestess or handsome Senator for as little as $L15! So don't miss it!

10am - Ludi Romani Athletic Games @ Fort Legio Augusta in ROMA

An important part of any ludi are the games, and Ludi Romani means "The Roman Games". Our games will feature Archery, Wrestling, Rock Climbing, and Discus & Javelin Throwing - 1st place winners will all recieve prizes, 2nd & 3rd will recieve $L200, and all winners will be given a laurel crown in honour of their achievement. Come show off your athletic prowess for the Ludi Romani!

12pm - Ludi Romani Grand Feast @ the Temple of Jupiter in ROMA

The final event of the Ludi Romani is the Grand Feast - this year to be held inside the Temple of Jupiter on ROMA's Capitoline Hill! There will be dancing, feasting, and good company - some please join us in bidding farewell to the Ludi Romani until next year!

ROMA in SL Showcase

ROMA has been featured prominently on the Lindens' Second Life Showcase page!

It is currently one of the four highlighted areas representing notable Arts & Culture builds in Second Life.

The blurb there says "Journey to ancient Rome in this expansive area, which includes replicas inspired by many famous sites, such as the Forum and the Theater of Dionysus."

You can see the entry for yourself at this url: http://secondlife.com/showcase/arts/

Yay ROMA!

ROMA Pride 20 September

ROMA will be hosting its first Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Friends Pride event all day September 20, 2008.

Events are open to all! Come and join in the fun!

11:00 AM SL Time
Pride Parade
Citizens are invited to make a float for the Parade, march, or just line the main street of ROMA to watch the parade. The route will wind its way from the ROMA fort, past the Arena, through the Plaza, through the Subura, and end at the Subura Baths. There everyone is welcome to enjoy themselves and socialize at our Subura Tea Dance.

2:00 PM SL Time
Pride Symposium: Same-Sex Relations in Antiquity
ROMA LGBT & Amici and the ROMA Scholastica Antiqua groups are co-sponsoring a lecture and symposium open to all. Torin Golding, owner, builder and Urban Prefect of ROMA, will give a short lecture on same-sex relations in antiquity. Then the floor will be opened to all for a general discussion of the topic, and on the general incorporation of LGBT within an SL context. The venue will be the large Basilica in the ROMA Forum. Come early to grab a couch!

4:00 PM SL Time
ROMA God and Goddess Drag Ball
Our final event will be a ball. Citizens are invited to come in a drag costume of a particular god or goddess of the ancient world. If you are normally a male in SL, come as a goddess. If you are normally a female in SL, come as a god. You can change anything except your shape to help with your drag outfit. Lots of dancing and fun for all, and we will be giving a prize for the Dragus Maximus and the Draga Maxima of the Ball!

TransTiber Love

Just came across this... sorry I missed it first time around:

As many know, we were the Sim Of The Week (SOTW) in the Metaverse Messenger back at the start of June...

The authors did a rare follow-up the week after and covered the ROMA Transtiberim sim. I'm so happy about this, since it highlighted some of our great Citizen content in Ostia.

You can read the follow up here on the MM site: [PDF Download]

ROMA PRO VITA = M x 150

ROMA's Relay for Life team, ROMA PRO VITA, raised over 150,000 Lindens ($528 US) to fight cancer and fund cancer research!!!

For their efforts, the team won two major awards: The 'RFL Endurance Team Award' and the 'Spirit of Relay' award. They are currently on display in the ROMA Plaza.

Many thanks to team captain Spaciva Ivanova, all the team volunteers, and all of the donors!

Overall the Relay For Life Organization in SL raised more than $210,000 US.

Brand New ROMA Social Network Site

Avete Citizens!

Add 'Social Network' to the list of Web 2.0 features available at ROMA. Think of it as 'Facebook for ROMA'.

It is called, imaginatively, ROMA Citizens.

Sign up and you can have all the links for ROMA in one place, consult event schedules, contact other Citizen friends offline (without having to sign into SL), share your photos, and... network!

This social network site was inspired by the popular one Angelia created for Collegium members. Hopefully Citizens will find it useful!

Get socializing today!

Vestalia/Bellona/Quinquatria Festival Schedule

Vestalia -- 13th June

3pm -Vestalia Ritual and Subura Procession in ROMA & ROMA Subura

Ritual to honour Vesta and celebrate the Vestalia @ the Vestal Temple in ROMA, followed by a procession through the Subura, where we will stop at various houses to be welcomed and given wine & gifts. The Procession will parade through the Subura and back into ROMA, to end with a party in the Felicitas Tavern. Be sure to buy a souvenir sunglobe at the houses we stop at along the way! (All proceeds go to the Collegia Religio Romana, who bring these monthly festivals to ROMA)

*************************

Festival of Bellona-- 14th June

10am - Legio Romana Cohors Equitata Horse Parade & Combat
@ the Fort Legio VII Augusta in ROMA

The Legio Romana Cohors Equitata will honour us with a parade through the streets of ROMA beginning in the ROMA Plaza to display our fine cavalry, and ending in Fort Legio VII Augusta where they will display their horseback combat skills.

12pm - Bellona Games @ the Ludus Dacicus Gladiatorii in ROMA Transtiberim

Come to the Ludus and watch our brave gladiators fight for the honour of ROMA and the Goddess Bellona! Free Ludus Bread and wine at the door.

2pm - Amazon Combat @ the Flavian Gladiator Arena in ROMA

In honour of the War Goddess, Bellona, the Amazons will present a combat demonstration in the Flavian Gladiator Arena. Come cheer our Amazons on and celebrate their victories!

*************************

Quinquatria-- 15th June

1pm - Fortunes and Oracles in ROMA Subura

We will be celebrating an ancient Quinquatria Tradition - that of consulting oracles and fortune tellers for a peek into the future the Gods have in store for us! There will be modern tarot reading, provided by Morgana Fillion (for a small fee) and free Delphic-style Oracle readings provided by Spaciva Ivanova, with Ludovik Cazenove as her priest-interpretor. Curious about what the future holds? Then consult our diviners!

3pm - Quinquatria Build Contest in ROMA Subura

A building contest in the Subura which celebrates the arts and Minerva as it's Patroness! Entries must be a build, but may have anything to do with any area of "the Arts", including (but not limited to :) domestic arts such as weaving and pottery making, fine arts such as sculpting & painting, entertainment arts such as music and dance. So come build something with us which reflects your commitment and dedication to the Arts in ROMA, and your reverence for Minerva as Patroness. Prizes will be given in three level categories, beginning, intermediate and advanced in two divisions, pre-built and improvisational. A special Minerva's Favorite prize will be given to the one build which best reflects reverence for and connection to Minerva, (i.e., is most directly related to Her aspects or myths) regardless of level or division. Winners will be announced and prizes given out at the Grand Feast (but contestants do not have to be present at the Feast to win).

5pm - The Vestalia/Bellona/Quinquatria Grand Feast
@ The Gardens of Maecenas in ROMA

Themed feast to celebrate the end of Festivals - Costume themes can reflect any of the three festivals and their goddesses - Vesta (Home, Family, Flame and Warmth), Bellona (War, Military Prowess) or Minerva (War, Wisdom, and the Arts). There will be food, wine, dancing, and the announcement of the winners of the Quinquatria Build Contest, as well as a contest for most creative costume with a cash prize, so please join us for a fun-filled night of celebration and prizes!

"Welcome to ROMA, Citizen!"

Soldier Aurelius Concordius has received a special posting. He has been picked to staff the Customs House in ROMA, the place where all visitors and Citizens arrive when the come to ROMA.

Aurelius will be sitting behind the Customs desk, recording the names of all visitors and dispensing information to all who pause to converse with him. You may need to get his attention by tapping his armored shoulder, but he is quite friendly and eager to help!

Come by today and introduce yourself to miles Aurelius Concordius!

ROMA SOTW in MM

In case that sentence gave you a headache I'll translate: ROMA has been named the Sim of the Week in SL publication the Metaverse Messenger.

Both Torin and Angelia were interviewed. You can find the full article here (pages 10 & 20).

Two New ROMA Groups!

Announcing two new ROMA groups:

ROMA GREEN: Show your Green sensibility! This group is for ROMA (SPQR) Citizens who try to take active steps to recycle and reduce their carbon footprints. Group members pledge to try and find ways to offset the pollution caused by their time in SL such as purchasing carbon offset credits.

ROMA LGBT & AMICI: This is a social group for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Citizens of the ROMA estate and their friends and supporters. Social chat is allowed in the group IM but NOT SPAM. Group events will be held to help support our inclusive community. A messageboard has also been set up: http://romacitizens.proboards54.com/index.cgi?board=lgbt

Both new groups are set to Open Enrollment now.

Introducing the Lupanar District!

A great new development has occurred in ROMA!

We conducted a survey regarding the Caligula's Pleasure Palace facility last month. The results were that most agreed 1) it was useful to have such a facility to help keep adult activity in the sim contained, 2) the current facility was too large and did not meet the current needs of the community.

The Emperor has decided to replace the Caligula's Pleasure Palace facility with a new build that is more useful. Introducing the new Lupanar District!

Our City Prefect, Torin, has built a small working-class neighborhood behind the gladiator arena. The ROMA Lupanar Brothel, marked by its distinctive wolf sign, sits at the end of a small plaza. The surface structure is a reconstruction of an ancient Roman brothel from Pompeii. Several signs explain the life of ancient Roman prostitutes. On the upper floor is a gallery space that will now house the "Ars Amatoria: Sex in Ancient Rome" exhibit (formerly in the Capitoline Museum).

If a Citizen touches the wolf sign, they will be transported to a subterranean hallway. Two private rooms can be found down there, each with free sex beds available for use. Every couple animation built into the beds has been given a coy Latin name. How many can you translate? ;) The animations contain heterosexual, boy-boy, and girl-girl menu choices. Please be sure to read the rules down there governing this space.

The Lupanar Brothel will now be the place where all adult activity must be kept in ROMA.

Apart from the Lupanar Brothel, the district also contains two other attractions. The Vulcan Smith shows how the Romans worked metal, and Citizens can try their hand at making a chainmail shirt and their own sword. The Cracked Potters Workshop allows Citizens to make their own pottery (formerly housed in the Baths of Caracalla portico). Other attractions will be added to the district in the future.

The demolition of the Caligula's Pleasure Palace facility will commence in the next few days. The Blue Grotto area will be retained, moved to the cavern under the Forum, and become a non-adult general attraction.

Floralia/Bona Dea Festival Schedule

Floralia Festival -- 17th May

11am - Floralia Ritual and Poetry Picnic
Ritual to honour Floral and celebrate the Floralia, followed by a relaxing picnic and poetry sharing. What is your favourite floral or spring themed poem? Come share it with us!

2pm - Floralia Games @ the Ludus
Come to the Ludus and watch our brave gladiators fight for the honour of ROMA and the Goddess Flora! Free Ludus Bread and wine at the door.

4pm - Flower Making Contest
Are you creative? Come and match your skills against other builders as we strive to create the perfect Floralia Bloom! All skill levels welcome and basic flower building supplies provided. Prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners.


Festival of Bona Dea (Faunalia) -- 18th May

10am - Bona Dea Ritual and Maypole Dance
Ritual to honour Fauna and celebrate the Festival of the Bona Dea, followed by the ancient tradition of the Maypole Dance! There will be music, dancing, feasting, and good friends - come join us!

1pm - Faunalia Fishing Contest
As Flora is a Goddess of green, growing things, so Fauna is a goddess of all who sport fur, feathers, or... scales! Come try your luck in the Faunalia Fishing Contest - catch and collect beautiful pets and have a chance at winning prizes!

5pm - The Fauna & Flora Grand Feast
Themed feast to celebrate the end of Festivals - Come dressed as faun, satyr, or other animal (mythologic or not). Or, if you prefer, go with a Floral theme - dress in leaves or flowers! There will be a costume contest and prizes will be given to Best Male & Female costumes.

ROMA Survey

All Citizens are asked to fill out the very short 10 question survey at this link. It is about the Caligula's Palace facility in ROMA and its future. The survey will be active until Monday, so please make your feelings known today. Many thanks!

Em Larsson Opens in New ROMA Gallery

Renowned photoartist Em Larsson has opened the inaugural art show in the new Baths of Caracalla gallery space.

Em's photos in the gallery are of the natural beauty around where she lives in real life. Em says "I capture images of the beauty I find around me and brings them into SL". She exhibits in several places around the grid (see her 'picks' for those locations) and also acts in the SL Shakespeare Company.

The newly rebuilt Baths of Caracalla structure in ROMA now has a meeting room and two gallery spaces on the upper floor. We will be use the space to host and support SL artists from around the grid. Interested artists should contact JT Vale to discuss reservations for upcoming shows.

April Festivals Pictures Posted

Pictures from this past weekend's Veneralia and Cerealia festivals have been posted to our Flickr page. You can find the sets here. Enjoy!

Chariots!

ROMA now has chariots that will ferry you around ROMA's three sims.

Outside the Pompeii Tavern in ROMA you can catch either the 'Subura Loop' chariot that will take you around the outer ring road of the Subura, or the 'Ostia Express' that will take you directly to the Ostia settlement in the northeastern corner of the Transtiberim sim.

Beside the main gate of Ostia, you can catch a chariot that will bring you right back to the plaza before the Pompeii Tavern.

It is possible, once you learn the routes, to hop on a chariot and hop off when you reach the area of ROMA you wish to visit.

It is a new, fun way to move around ROMA. Hope you enjoy it!

Legion Training Video

Thanks to Brodbiz for a peek at Legion training.

New Transtiberim Attractions

Several new attractions are now ready (more or less) in the ROMA Transtiberim sim. All are located in the mountain range in the northern part of the sim:

1. If you begin to climb the mountain path, you will come across a secluded cave entrance halfway up the path. This is the Lupercal Cave where the Lupa lives, the she wolf who suckled Romulus and Remus. If you dig around her bone pile, she may allow you to re-enact the twin's most famous moment.

2. Leave the Lupercal Cave by the back door and you will come across a natural hot spring that the Emperor has converted into a small thermal bath complex. It is a wonderful place to relax and wash away the cares of the day. To sit comfortably in the pools of hot water, touch one of the rocks that sit on the edge of the pool. Watch out for the geyser that erupts every few minutes from one of the pools!

3. Return to the mountain path and climb all the way up to the top of the mountain. You will know you are getting close to the top when you begin to feel the crunch of snow under your sandals. At the very top is the most unusual cave in ROMA. This was the home of the Sibyl long ago, the prophetess of Apollo. She used to live here and give prophesies to anyone who would make the climb to see her. Now all that is left is an empty cave with only a small cracked altar. But some Citizens have left a few offerings here, convinced that the spirit of the Sibyl remains. They claim that if one touches the altar with a pure heart, the Sibyl may yet hear queries and offer her prophesies.

All three of these attractions are now open in the ROMA Transtiberim sim.

Get Well Tullia

Click To Play

The Collegium of ROMA Priests and Priestesses has produced a video for one of their members, Tullia Lanzius, who was recently injured in a RL accident. Noted filmmaker and Senate Princeps JT Vale directed the video.

Get well soon Tullia and hurry back to ROMA! We miss you!

External link for the video page

New Roleplay Rules in ROMA

New year, new rules in ROMA.

All roleplay in the sim will now be regulated by a ROMA group and special laws. You can read about all of the changes on this messageboard post. We know it is a lot of text, but it is absolutely imperative that all Citizens read it and learn the new rules.

We hope this will not only solve some issues roleplay has been having lately in ROMA, but also create wonderful opportunities for Citizens to indulge their imagination and creativity.

Valete omnes!