The Aqua Traiana UPDATED

Many thanks to Citizen Rachel Corleone who spotted this great short video about a new discovery outside of Rome- the possible source of the Aqua Traiana. Check it out!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8486518.stm?ls

UPDATE:
The Rogue Classicism blog has a lot more details:

http://rogueclassicism.com/2010/02/01/still-more-on-the-aqua-traiana/

Paganalia Festival 2010 Schedule

Saturday January 23th:

10am - Roman Paganalia Ritual
In celebration of Paganalia, the Roman festival of sowing, we will be performing a ritual to honour Ceres (the goddess of agriculture) and Tellus (Mother Earth), followed by a light social gathering with dancing. Come join us in celebrating the beginning of the Paganalia!
Location: ROMA Transtiberim http://slurl.com/secondlife/ROMA%20Transtiberim/60/30/45

12pm - Paganalia Fishing Contest
Break out your poles and put on your fishing togas - it's time for another ROMA Fishing event! Using the 7Seas Fishing system, we will be having a fishing contest, with the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners recieving cash prizes.
Location: ROMA Transtiberim http://slurl.com/secondlife/ROMA%20Transtiberim/123/154/29

2pm - Greek Paganalia Ritual
As ROMA's Paganalia is a celebration of all cultural pagan rites and ceremonies, this year we will be showing you the flip side of Graeco-Roman religion, with a Greek ritual for the Paganalia, honouring Poseidon - followed by a floating boat party in front of the temple.
Location: ROMA Maritima http://slurl.com/secondlife/ROMA%20Maritima/206/128/2

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Sunday January 24th:

10am - Egyptian Horus Ritual
A re-created Egyptian Ritual to honour Horus and Osiris in honour of the ROMA Paganalia using texts from the Temple of Dendera and known elements of Egyptian worship. Please join us for this exhibit of what worship in ancient Kemet (Egypt) may have been like!
Location: ROMA Transtiberim http://slurl.com/secondlife/ROMA%20Transtiberim/177/108/22

12pm - Cloaca Croc Race
You may have explored ROMA's Cloaca Maxima before, but have you ever raced through it on the back of a crocodile? Well now you can! Our Cloaca Croc Race will be a timed race, with the 3 best times winning 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. Can you navigate your croc through to victory before the competition? Join the race and find out!
Location: ROMA Transtiberim http://slurl.com/secondlife/ROMA%20Transtiberim/177/108/22

2pm - Native American Powwow Presentation
Our guest speakers from Virtual Native Lands will give us a slideshow presentation on Native American Powow etiquette. The presentation is in voice and text, and explains music styles and powwow dance - if you crave a true understanding of American Native culture and traditions, please join us for this unique opportunity of education and fun!
Location: ROMA Subura http://slurl.com/secondlife/ROMA%20Subura/141/127/87

4pm - Paganalia Grand Feast
The conclusion of ROMA's Paganalia Festival - join us for an evening of feasting, dancing, and good company, as well as our Paganalia Costume Contest! Come as your favourite god, mythological creature, or sacred beast. This theme encompasses all religions, so it doesn't need to be Roman. We will vote for best male and female costume - the winners will recieve $L1000!
Location: ROMA http://slurl.com/secondlife/ROMA/160/137/52

Announcing the new ROMA CURIATE ASSEMBLY

THE SHORT STORY:
ROMA will now have an assembly that will meet once a month. We are going to be replacing the ROMA Senate meeting with a larger gathering involving senators, citizens and group officers. The first meeting will be 11am Sunday 31 January.

THE DETAILS:
The ROMA CURIATE ASSEMBLY is the monthly meeting of ROMA Senators, officers, and Citizens. It meets in the ROMA Curia and replaces the former ROMA Senate meetings. The Assembly is a large body that consists of three parts, or “chambers”, each with their role to play in managing and maintaining ROMA. It is also a “think-tank” for proposing new ideas and discussing all aspects of the estate. The Assembly meets the last Sunday of every month.

Each part ("chamber") sits in its own designated area inside the Curia in order to make clear who is a voting member.

CHAMBER 1: The Senators (the Optimates)
The Senators have two main roles in ROMA: A) to serve as a direct advisory body to the Emperor, Estate Managers and owner of ROMA, and B) to serve as “point people” and organizers of many ROMA events and tasks. This latter role allows them to act as “patrons”, helping other Citizens in ROMA accomplish their goals and ideas for the estate. Senators are often also called upon to be the “public face of ROMA”, wearing their Senator title with pride amongst both their fellow Citizens and new visitors. All Citizens may approach ROMA Senators with issues and they will endeavor to find solutions.

• The Senate has an executive officer (Princeps Senatus) and two Censors. All three are positions elected by active Senate members.
  
• Senators have a lifetime appointment (unless they resign or are removed).
  
• They are elected by their peers (following a period of training and mentoring).
  
• Each Senator gets one vote in the Assembly on voting matters.
  
• Senators can propose motions on which the whole Assembly can vote. The Princeps steers all motions, discussions, and voting.
  
• Senators should offer to be the main point people and organizers of events and issues brought before the Senate if they are able.
  
• Senators take their responsibly seriously as part of the public face of ROMA
  
• Senate officers manage a "Task Board" like in the Collegium where they can keep tabs on the duties taken on by the Senators.
  
• Senate “on call” buttons in the Tabularium facilitate contact between the Senators and the Citizenry.
  
• Further Senate regulations and details are laid out in the Tabellae which will be updated shortly.

CHAMBER 2: The Group Officers (the Populares)
The second chamber of the Assembly is comprised of group officers from the various active groups in ROMA. The Senate officers and Prefect will keep a current list of active groups. Each group is able to appoint up to two representatives to sit in this chamber during meetings. They are called "Novi Homines / Novae Feminae" and speak with the authority of the group. They are present in the Assembly to A) facilitate communication between the various groups in ROMA, B) to brainstorm event ideas and solicit assistance from the Senators in organizing events and ideas, and C) to bring any public issues to discussion within the Assembly.

• Each Official and recognized Citizen-Run Group can appoint up to two "Novi Homines / Novae Feminae" to attend the Senate meetings in official capacity.
  
• Family groups themselves are not eligible for a "Novi Homines / Novae Feminae" slot because they are considered sub-groups within the Theatrum group (and sit on the Theatrum council), but the Theatrum group may appoint a Family member to represent the Theatrum in the chamber as one of their "Novi Homines / Novae Feminae".
  
• Each group decides how long each representative serves.
  
• Each Novi Homines or Novae Feminae gets one vote in Senate voting matters.
  
• Each Novi Homines or Novae Feminae can propose motions on which the whole Assembly votes. The Princeps Senatus steers all motions, discussions, and voting, including those proposed from within the Populares.
  
• Groups must have a minimum membership number and must be active to participate in the Assembly.
  
• SPECIAL NOTE ON THE COLLEGIUM: When the Assembly turns to Populares business in the agenda, the Collegium group goes first in order to discuss upcoming festival plans. This part of the meeting is steered by the Vestalis Maxima (if present) or a Collegium representative in order to discuss what is needed from the Assembly members and Groups for the next festival. The Vestalis Maxima (or Senatus Princeps is she is absent) can call for motions, discussions, and voting if necessary during this section of the meeting, but presumably that will not be necessary most of the time. This clause is to facilitate festival planning and the dissemination of information to the groups who will be participating in the festival.

CHAMBER 3: The Public Council
The Citizenry of ROMA is invited to participate in the Assembly. A special seating area in the Curia will allow spectators to join in the moderated discussions.

• The Princeps will call upon people to speak during discussions. Those wishing to speak should IM the Princeps or signify in chat text that they wish to speak.
  
• The Public council has no vote on voting matters, and may not make motions, but they can present ideas and take part in the debate.

A NOTE ON CHAMBER MEMBERSHIP: Someone can theoretically be a member of all three chambers, but they can only 'sit' in one area of the Curia. For example, the Collegium would probably not want to appoint MajorMatt to be their "Novus Homo" since he is already a sitting Senator, but if they did, he would have to make a decision where to sit when he got to the Curia. He would then be bound by the regulations of the chamber he was sitting in that day (i.e. if he was in the Public Council, he would not be able to make a motion).


A NOTE ON VOTING: Voting during an Assembly meeting will most often be used to ratify a "We would like to do this" motion or a "Can we do something about this" motion after discussion. It will be by declamation (“Yes” or “No” in chat), but the Princeps can defer any vote to the Messageboard if more discussion is needed or more input is desired. Secret ballots, though probably unnecessary, are also allowed.

Once the Assembly votes on a proposal, it technically goes to the Emperor for ratification. Most of the time, Torin will be able to ratify it immediately (“rubber stamp it”) during the meeting in his role as Prefect. Action, such as planning, then can immediately commence. On some matters, particularly those needing more discussion amongst the Estate Managers, Torin will defer immediate ratification and instead refer the proposal to a committee or to the Imperium management group. It may even be sent back to the Assembly at a future time for more discussion and another vote.