Romans

> My son,
>
>
> We are Romans, the last of that noble people. We
> are the heirs of Aeneas, the hero of Troy. We are the
> heirs of Romulus who established the city of Rome.
>
>
> King Kymbelinus was the first Cymric King to remember
> the superiority of the Roman ways. He had
> been raised in the old city and brought many of our
> forgotten customs and rights back to us, so that our
> cities became as Roman as the great city itself. He sent
> tribute to Rome, expressing gratitude.
>
>
> Guiderius, the son of Kymbelinus, was a fool. He hated
> Rome and oppressed any who had adopted Roman
> ways, forcing us to ask the empire for help. Emperor
> Claudius came with an army and the king was killed.
> His brother King Arviragus brought peace and married
> a daughter of Emperor Claudius, welcoming Roman
> traders to settle on this isle. However, not everyone
> was pleased. Queen Boudica rebelled against the encroaching
> Roman ways, destroying many cities and
> killing Romans and Britons alike. Emperor Vespasian
> came with an army to help King Arviragus to crush
> the rebellion, for which help King Arviragus ceded the
> Rebels’ lands to Rome, establishing the empire’s right
> to this land.
>
>
> After that, our kings worked in harmony with the
> empire, allowing both merchants and soldiers into our
> land. They built roads and cities for trade, and forts to
> protect us from enemies. At last, King Lucius invited in
> Faganus and Dyvanus, missionaries who taught the
> Good News of Christ to our people. All the folks of the
> cities converted to the Roman Church quickly, and
> missionaries went about the countryside to liberate the
> heathens from their worship of the old gods and demons.
>
>
> Our fidelity prompted Emperor Severus to grant
> Roman citizenship to all free people of the empire,
> and we became Roman in name, too. He established
> the British Senate, or Supreme Collegium, which assembled
> the leaders of the greatest British tribes and
> wise men from the cities to make decisions. We prospered,
> and our prosperity became the target of jealous
> Romans like Carausius, who ruled for a mere thirteen
> years before he was killed by Roman troops led by
> King Allectus. Our wealth tempted him, and he seized
> kingship of the land until Asclepiodotus, King of Cornwall,
> defeated him and was given the kingship. He
> honored the Roman ways, and so when Emperor
> Diocletian ordered the persecution of all Christians
> it was he who made our first martyrs. The natural
> justice of our people rebelled against this and Duke
> Coel of Colchester rose up and defeated him, ending
> the persecution.
>
>
> Constantius Chlorus came to bring the land back
> into the empire. He married Helen, daughter of Coel,
> whose dowry was all of Britain, and then negotiated
> reentry into the empire with Constantine Chlorus,
> who accepted kingship of Britain, and then became
> Emperor of Rome. He kept Britain safe while powerful
> men sought to rule the empire, breaking its unity
> and holding parts as their personal realms. When he
> died, his son became king.
>
>
> Constantine, son of Constantius Chlorus and Queen
> Helen, was troubled by the evils that beset the continental
> empire. He took an army of Britons and righted these
> wrongs, defeating every rival in battle and uniting the
> glorious empire again, bringing wealth and peace to all.
> He declared the Christian religion to be the religion of
> the empire and oversaw its unity with the adoption of
> the Credo. He reorganized the empire and established
> an eastern capital named after himself. No other emperor
> before or after him was titled the Great. All was well.
>
>
> Octavius proved that men can redeem themselves.
> He seized the kingship without regard to the wishes of
> our Senate. Trahern, brother of King Coel, defeated him
> in battle and took the throne. When King Trahern was
> assassinated, the Senate brought Octavius back to rule,
> and he did so well and with the confidence of the British
> people, while the continental empire once again broke
> into pieces as men fought to be emperor.
>
>
> Maximianus, son-in-law of Octavius, ruled next.
> He is known as Macsen Wledig to the Cymri. He sought
> to emulate his uncle and raised an army of Britons to
> liberate the beleaguered continent. He conquered half
> of it, but was slain by his foes. His efforts stripped Britain
> of legions and left it open for foreign kings to wreak
> havoc upon it. His regent, Dionotus, sought to defend
> us, but he was helpless without an army. Upon the death
> of Maximianus, Gratian Municeps came with two
> legions and drove off the invaders. He seized the crown,
> ignoring the British Senate’s right to choose a High King,
> but he was foolish and so greedy that the plebeians rose
> up and slew him. General Stilicho restored Roman power
> for a while, but soon the legions were withdrawn to
> defend Rome itself from the barbarians, and we were
> left defenseless.
>
>
>
> The Senate sent a letter to the Emperor of Rome to beg for protection. It was answered by the command to see to our own defenses. Rome was dead, and it was up to us to preserve the tradition as the last True Romans. We sent representatives to our sister land of Brittany to offer the kingship to King Aldronius, the son of Maximianus. He did not accept it, but instead sent his brother, Constantine II, whom the Cymri call Constantin, with a small army to fight for him. With this new army, he chased off the raiders and thieves, and once again brought peace to all.
>
>

Long ago, “in ancient times,” the noble Roman Empire conquered and civilized this land. It ruled all of Britain―indeed, all the world. Due to decadence and selfishness, the whole Empire collapsed except for one part ~ Britain, thanks to the ancestors of the present-day Roman Britons. These are the Old Families of the “ancient aristocracy.” The urban Britons revere their Roman heritage, especially their legal system that has maintained the “peaceful imperial times.”

## Stereotype

Upper-class snobs, rich folk who take their status as “given.” Most are condescending because they know they deserve their place, though the equites hold up their privilege by actually doing the noble and dangerous task of defending the land.

## Self-image

One ought to maintain a sensible distance and exhibit impersonal treatment toward everyone common, but among well-educated Romans there exists also a noblesse oblige to oversee and protect the “lesser folk” simply because it is “good for the state.”

## Let’s Be Practical

They can read Latin. Thus they know many of the secrets that only the clergy have access to. Finally, they know Law.

## Plebeians

The old Roman cities provide a life for many residents because they are trade centers. The commoners there often call themselves Romans, too. These are the plebeians of urban life, the numerous lower classes. No player characters come from this group. The amount of money required to be an equites is simply too great, or (more likely) the lifestyle is too dangerous for plebeians to pursue.

> This is what it means to be married: to have sons one can introduce to the family and the neighbors, and to have daughters of one's own to give to husbands. For we have courtesans [ἑταίρας] for pleasure, concubines [παλλακάς] to attend to our daily needs, and wives to bear children legitimately and to be faithful wards of our homes.
>
> Demosthenes, 384-322 p.e.v.

## Names

### Male

Albanus, Agorix, Arcavius, Avitus, Belletor, Burcanius, Caletus, Caracturus, Catianus, Cunobarrus, Cervidus, Dagwaldus, Decmus, Donicus, Dumnorix, Egbutius, Elvorix, Galerus, Gessius, Ingenvirius, Isatis, Ivimarus, Luonercus, Litumarus, Leddicus, Lupinus, Maccalus, Macrinus, Magunnus, Marullinus, Metunus, Molacus, Nemnogenus, Nonius, Novellius, Olennius, Pertacus, Primanus, Nertomarus, Sarimarcus, Sudrenus, Tanicus, Taurinus, Trenus, Vepgenus, Vibennis, Vitalinus, Ulprus, Voteporix.

### Female

Except for the names ending in -rix, all male names can be feminized by changing the ending to “ia.” Thus Arcavius becomes Arcavia.

### Pronunciation Guide

Remember that all c’s are hard in Latin, like English k.

## Religion

### Roman Christian

The Romans live in cities, and those cities all have bishops who obey the great hierarchy ordained by Saint Peter, the favored apostle of Jesus. Saint Peter established The Church in distant Rome, where the Pope is his spiritual heir, and who continues the mission of the One Church. Thus, Romans are naturally all Roman Christian.

“Saint Peter was the favorite of Our Lord Jesus, and he founded the only True Church. It guided the Roman Empire, and it has survived intact as our organization of bishops. Of course we obey the Pope."