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Introduction

Nova Roma is able to honor citizens in various ways and uses the customs our our Roman ancestors as the framework to do so. An honor to acknowledge a considerable positive impact to Nova Roma society or an award to acknowledge a triumph or victory can come in many different forms. Not all honors and awards are issued with a physical artefact, plaque or trophy as this is not necessarily the Roman Way (although some can be).

Below is a list of honors and awards citizens in Nova Roma may be granted and how they are issued. Most honors and awards are either defined under the Nova Roma constitution, the Lex Cornelia Domitia de re publica constituenda or the Lex Arria de censu civium aestimando.

Public Acknowledgement - Forum Romanum

Not to be under valued, a public mention on the official main forum on Nova Roma, the Forum Romanum, is still a prestigious honor. Citizens gain public accolades and reputation when recognized by senior magistrates in a post to the forum. The Forum Romanum stands as a public record for all time and can aid in future election campaigns or as evidence for future considerations of other honors.

Magisterial Awards

Award Points are a category of Census Points given for excellence in public activity, for exemplary service, for singular accomplishments, for heroism, for eminence in productive, positive and exemplary public behavior, and virtues and contributions. Magistrates or promagistrates, with imperium, and the senate may present various awards (accompanied by Census Points) with titles decided by the awarding authority, and by future senatus consulta or leges.

Aedilies' Award for Excellence

In cases where there is no objection, the four aediles may collectively award citizens who excel in public activity, in public service, in the forums with exemplary conduct, productivity, and usefulness to the commonwealth within a given month.

Nova Roman Achievement

Magistrates, promagistrates (like governors) and other offices with imperium may define and grant a series of achievement awards, under various titles defined by the authority:

Minor award for a Nova Roman achievement

Medium award for a Nova Roman achievement

Major award for a Nova Roman achievement

Premium award for a Nova Roman achievement

Highest award for a Nova Roman achievement

Ordo Equester (Equestrian Order)

The Equestrian Order shall consist of high standing citizens who excel in their service to the Res Publica. There are actually two grades of equestrians, however; the bestowed honor is that of the equites equo publico (public knights) who are the equestrians proper.

The list of current equestrians can be found here: List of equestrians.

A single citizen can be elevated again to Princeps Iuventutis, first knight of the Equestrian Order of Nova Roma, which also bestows considerable Census Points on the awardee.

Any appointment to the Equestrian Order is done so by a public announcement of the Censors, usually after a Census.

Ordo Patricius (Patrician Order)

All new citizens that register with Nova Roma are Plebeians. Normally, access to the patrician order is by birth or adoption into a patrician family. However, defined under the Nova Roma constitution, a plebeian family (often a single citizen) can be nominated for elevation to patrician status. Normally, there should be 30 patrician families in Nova Roma and the number should generally not exceed 5% of the population of Nova Roma.

Historically, patricians were the native-born aristocracy in ancient Rome, descended from the earliest inhabitants of the city. In Nova Roma, patricians are usually the members of the founding gentes and families which came on-board at a very early stage of Nova Roma and were therefore instrumental in our early history. The award of patrician status acknowledges the significant contributions of a family (or citizen) to the development and growth of Nova Roma and is not given lightly.

The list of current patricians can be found here: List of current patricians.

Only the Senate, often after a Census, can nominate a family for this honor. Nominations are sent to the Comitia curiata who will vote on the measure.

Bestowed Agnomina

Under Article II E-G of the Lex Vedia de mutandis nominibus, a citizen may be bestowed an agnomen, often to commemorate significant accomplishments or important events in the citizen's life. Agnomina of distinction are awarded by a senator, curule magistrate, or pontifex in recognition of service to Nova Roma. Official recognition of such awarded agnomina of distinction comes from an endorsement by the Censors.

Major Honors & Awards

Extraordinary Senate Awards

Only the senate can grant the following extraordinary awards which may have various titles decided by the awarding authority, and by future senatus consulta or leges:

Extraordinary award (award amount decided by the senate depending on the merit)
Major extraordinary award (equal to equestrian census)
Highest possible award (equal to senatorial census)

Princeps Senatus

The status of the first senator of the senate of Nova Roma, designated so by the censors during census, shall be recognized with a cosndierable amount of Census Points.

Imperator

This variant of the highest possible award can be given only at the request of a fully Nova Roman reenactment unit under the imperium of the recipient. The prerequisite of this award is the salutatio imperatoria, an exclamation after a victorious reenactment battle, which a representative of the army sends message to the senate, for only the senate can recognize and grant this award for extraordinary leadership achievements in Roman military reenactment, or for major heroic leadership actions saving or advancing Nova Roma while holding imperium and command of a Nova Roman reenactment army.

Pater Patriae

As a variant of the highest possible awards, the title Pater Patriae can be awarded for the founding or re-founding of Nova Roma, for saving Nova Roma from ultimate peril, or for many years of taking care of most of the public affairs with an extraordinary dedication and perfection. If the recipient declines the honor, a Census Award Points shall still be accounted but instead of the title, a note shall be added to the citizen’s public records “Declined the title Pater Pateriae awarded by the senate”.

Corona Civica

The senate awards the corona civica, the highest possible award, according to the mos maiorum, the tradition of the ancestors. A recipient is celebrated as a hero of Nova Roma by the Senate and People, and their action shall be an example for other all other citizens and future leaders about duty and virtue: the freedom and republic of Nova Roma, the rights of our fellow citizens, in that the integrity of our Roman cultural mission shall always be defended, protected at any cost, and upheld above all interests. This award, according to tradition, may only be awarded if witnessed, testified and approved by the people who were saved.

A recipient of this award, according to tradition, shall have a permanent grant to attend the meetings of the senate even if not being senators, as observing, non-voting members; they shall be seated in the places reserved for senators in public games and festivals; they shall be entitled to wear the oak leaves crown at public gatherings, and when wearing this decoration, shall be applauded, and even the highest ranking magistrates shall greet them by standing up if they are sitting, as required by the Roman tradition pertaining to this award. They shall be exempt from taxes and counted as assidui permanently, in keeping with the mos maiorum. This award is defined under the Senatus consultum de corona civica Cn. Lentulo et P. Licino danda.

Awards and honorific titles in Nova Roma

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