Session September 2778
Contents |
Presiding Magistrate
The session was chaired by P. Aurelius Barbatus. The 'Call to Convene' was announced on a.d. VII Kal. Oct. ‡.
Consular Auspices
Cn. Cornelius Lentulus, pontifex, took the auspices for P. Aurelius Barbatus in his name, and they were favorable.
Consular Opening and Closing Ceremony
The Senate session was ritually opened and closed by a sacrificial ceremony by consul P. Aurelius Barbatus.
Quorum
With the recent passing of P. Annaeus Constantinus Placidus (S.T.T.L.), the Senate of Nova Roma currently has 18 voting members, which gives a minimum quorum of 12 voting members. With 17 Senate members present and with 1 on leave of absence, QUORUM IS ACHIEVED.
The 18 voting members are (first those who are currently magistrates then in order of senate precedence):
P. Aurelius Barbatus, vir tribunicius, CONSUL
C. Flavius Constantinus Aeneas Stilicho, senator aedilicius, CONSUL
Ti. Iulius Nerva, vir aedilicius, PRAETOR
D. Aurelius Ingeniarius, senator praetorius, PRAETOR
M. Aurelius Cotta Iovius, senator consularis, CENSOR
C. Petronius Stephanus Turpilianus, senator consularis, CENSOR
Fl. Vedius Germanicus, senator censorius
Sex. Lucilius Tutor, senator censorius
Q. Arrius Nauta, senator censorius
T. Domitius Draco, senator consularis
C. Cornelius Cethegus Barosus, senator consularis
M. Hortensia Maior Fabiana Faustina, senatrix praetoria
C. Petronius Dexter, senator praetorius - ON LEAVE OF ABSENCE
P. Porcius Licinus, vir praetorius
M. Caecilius Metellus Tocaiensis, senator aedilicius, AEDILIS CURULIS
Cn. Cornelius Lentulus, senator aedilicius, TRIUMVIR MONETALIS
A. Vitellius Celsus, senator aedilicius
A. Iulius Paterculus, senator aedilicius
The following 5 tribuni plebis who are not senators themselves have the right to attend this meeting of
the Senate and are invited to participate therein:
M. Claudius Marcellus, TRIBUNUS PLEBIS
C. Valeria Terra, TRIBUNA PLEBIS
K. Quirinius Dasius, TRIBUNA PLEBIS
Ap. Pompeia Messalina, TRIBUNUS PLEBIS
Q. Caecilius Metellus Macedonicus, TRIBUNUS PLEBIS
Schedule
1000 Rome Time (CET) a.d. VII Kal. Oct. ‡ 2778 AVC (25 Sep 2025) Call to convene. 1000 Rome Time (CET) a.d. VII Kal. Oct. ‡ 2778 AVC (25 Sep 2025) Call to order. Debate period commences and lasts until needed. Debate is allowed to continue during voting. 1000 Rome Time (CET) a.d. V Non. Oct. ‡ 2778 AVC (03 Oct 2025) Call to vote. Debate is allowed to continue during voting. 1000 Rome Time (CET) Non. Oct. ‡ 2778 AVC (07 Oct 2025) End of vote. Results. 1000 Rome Time (CET) Non. Oct. ‡ 2778 AVC (07 Oct 2025) Call to close.
Agenda
ITEM I Draft Senatus Consultum de conventibus publicis Item for Vote ITEM II Draft Senatus Consultum de relationibus praesidum provinciarum Item for Vote ITEM III Draft Senatus Consultum de relatione rationum publicarum Item for Vote ITEM IV Draft Senatus Consultum de initiativa reformationis situs Novae Romae Item for Vote ITEM V Draft Senatus Consultum de re publica Canadana Romana iungenda Item for Vote ITEM VI Draft Senatus Consultum de programmate praesentiae in mediis socialibus Item for Vote ITEM VII Draft Senatus Consultum de vestimentis et instrumentis publicis Novae Romae Item for Vote ITEM VIII Draft Senatus Consultum de expensis publicis anno P. Annaeo et C. Flavio coss. Item for Vote ITEM IX Draft Senatus Consultum De D. Aurelio Ingeniario Consulatum Ante Aetatem Petenti Item for Vote ITEM X Draft Senatus Consultum De Municipio Novae Condendo Item for Vote ITEM XI Draft Senatus Consultum De Termino Tributorum Proferendo Item for Vote
Proposal Results
ITEM I - Draft Senatus Consultum De Conventibus Publicis
Uti rogas / censeo / consentio = 13 (MACI, AIP, DAI, QAN, AVC, FVG, CCL, MHMFF, TDD, TIN, MCMT, PAB, SLT)
Comments:
- AIP: This seems like an excellent idea and hopefully it will help Novi Romani who would would like to attend in-person events to locate them.
Antiquo / Dissentio = 0
Abstineo = 0
CENSUERE - ENACTED
ITEM II - Senatus Consultum De Relationibus Praesidum Provinciarum
Uti rogas / censeo / consentio = 9 (AIP, QAN, AVC, CCL, MHMFF, TIN, MCMT, PAB, SLT)
Comments:
- AIP: Regularizing the provincial reporting process is probably a good step, though I remain concerned about the likelihood of provinces with moderate or even relatively high levels of activity failing to meet some metric and being dissolved as a result.
Antiquo / Dissentio = 2 (FVG, TDD)
Comments:
- TDD: It does not take into account previous decisions of this body.
Abstineo = 2 (MACI, DAI)
Comments:
- DAI: It appears my advice went unheeded. I like where this SC is going, so I will not vote against it; creating a regular reporting cycle, but it is detached and neglects the outstanding reporting requirements and previous legislation to date. We are overall adding to the complexity here and the governors will report differently and not provide the senate what it needs to continue to assess the provinces.
CENSUERE - ENACTED
ITEM III - Senatus Consultum De Relatione Rationum Publicarum
Uti rogas / censeo / consentio = 13 (MACI, AIP, DAI, QAN, AVC, FVG, CCL, MHMFF, TDD, TIN, MCMT, PAB, SLT)
Comments:
- AIP: Transparency about our finances (and in general) is a good policy and will hopefully give citizens reassurance that their voluntary tax payments are being used wisely.
- DAI: How this was not already a requirement is surprising. If anything it doesn't go far enough and perhaps we need more regular reporting.
- TDD: I concur with our Praetor that reporting should be more often. For the record: If a member of this body demanded a financial report, as part of ther fiduciary duties, our treasury has 5 days to get the information to them. Otherwise it may open us to financial investigation.
Antiquo / Dissentio = 0
Abstineo = 0
CENSUERE - ENACTED
ITEM IV - Senatus Consultum De Initiativa Reformationis Situs Novae Romae
Uti rogas / censeo / consentio = 12 (MACI, AIP, DAI, QAN, AVC, FVG, CCL, MHMFF, TIN, MCMT, PAB, SLT)
Comments:
- DAI: All well and good but we will need to provide measures to allow the curator to actually do this work. He is overburdened. How are we addressing his priorities here?
Antiquo / Dissentio = 1 (TDD)
Comments:
- TDD: Divest from the curator. He is over burdened. There are how many members lf the Senate? No one else can be found? If this was handled, I would support this.
Abstineo = 0
CENSUERE - ENACTED
ITEM V - Senatus Consultum De Re Publica Canadana Romana Iungenda
Uti rogas / censeo / consentio = 10 (AIP, DAI, QAN, AVC, FVG, CCL, MHMFF, TIN, PAB, SLT)
Comments:
- AIP: This is a very welcome item. The only addition I would like to see would be for P. Iunius Brutus or other representative(s) of the Roman Republic to give a direct statement, but that would probably be difficult for us to guarantee.
DAI: Again. this is fine, but we will need to provide measures to allow the curator to actually do this work. He is overburdened. How are we addressing his priorities?
Antiquo / Dissentio = 3 (MACI, TDD, MCMT)
Comments:
- TDD: Identical comment as Item 4.
Abstineo = 0
CENSUERE - ENACTED
ITEM VI - Senatus Consultum De Programmate Praesentiae In Mediis Socialibus
Uti rogas / censeo / consentio = 11 (MACI, AIP, QAN, AVC, FVG, CCL, MHMFF, TIN, MCMT, PAB, SLT)
Comments:
- AIP: This is a good idea. I've personally read comments online which suggest some who know of Nova Roma are aware of political troubles in the past but fail to realize that we've moved past such issues or even think we've ceased to exist altogether. Some careful outreach on various platforms might help allay such misconceptions.
Antiquo / Dissentio = 1 (TDD)
Comments:
- TDD: Same as Item 4, plus it needs to be less vague.
Abstineo = 1 (DAI)
Comments:
DAI: The defined committee needs a more comprehensive terms of reference. There are no due dates specified either. This committee runs the risk of underperforming or not performing at all as it relies heavily on individuals already overburdened (the curator). I appreciate what the intent is, so I will not vote against it, but the SC is unsupportable in its current form.
CENSUERE - ENACTED
ITEM VII - Senatus Consultum De Vestimentis Et Instrumentis Publicis Novae Romae
Uti rogas / censeo / consentio = 10 (MACI, AIP, QAN, AVC, CCL, MHMFF, TIN, MCMT, PAB, SLT)
Comments:
- AIP: As Fl. Vedius Germanicus has pointed out, this could turn out to be a very expensive project, but as the specifics of purchases and their transportation is left to the discretion of the oversight committee, we should be able to start slowly and re-assess whether this is sustainable after some experimentation. As some reenactors travel regularly over significant distances to attend different events, some shipping might be saved by personal delivery of certain items.
Antiquo / Dissentio = 3 (DAI, FVG, TDD)
Comments:
- DAI: A marvellous idea, but I cannot support this SC. I do not have a clear idea what is in the Nova Roma treasuries, let alone who controls them. The SC does not define any spending limits either. It would be irresponsible for us to be spending money when we have not seen a financial report in years. Let's fix the governance and reporting of our finances before we start spending large sums of money.
- TDD: Absolutely not. Should not even be considered until we get a financial report. Even after then: Nova Roma is not a reenactment organization. We are MODERN Romans and should be living as modern Romans. We have reenactors, but that is not our focus as an organization. Otherwise where does it end? Are we paying for ceremonial armor too?
Abstineo = 0
CENSUERE - ENACTED
ITEM VIII - Senatus Consultum De Expensis Publicis Anno P. Annaeo Et C. Flavio Coss.
Uti rogas / censeo / consentio = 11 (MACI, AIP, QAN, AVC, FVG, CCL, MHMFF, TIN, MCMT, PAB, SLT)
Comments:
- AIP: The expenses in question seem to be legitimate expenditures for Nova Roman activities, and it is only fair to Nova Roma to assume part of the financial burden rather than leaving it to generous individuals.
Antiquo / Dissentio = 1 (TDD)
Comments:
- TDD: This should be tabled until we get our financial report. Even then, we need to make sure we comply with the law.
Abstineo = 1 (DAI)
Comments:
DAI: I appreciate the intent, but I haven't seen the receipts. Who is citing an authorising the particular expenditure here now? We must be careful that these sort of reimbursements comply with macro-Maine law. This is not addressed.
CENSUERE - ENACTED
ITEM IX - Senatus Consultum De D. Aurelio Ingeniario Consulatum Ante Aetatem Petenti
Uti rogas / censeo / consentio = 11 (MACI, DAI, QAN, AVC, CCL, MHMFF, TDD, TIN, MCMT, PAB, SLT)
Comments:
- DAI: I appreciate the vote of trust from those in the community who have bought this SC forward. Probably good to clarify that this does not negate the need for an election; the citizens must still vote on the outcome. It seeks to assure suitable candidates on the first call for one of the most important posts in Nova Roma, maintaining our public reputation. This SC would have certainly included others eligible living in Italia. With our society seeking to gain more public awareness, my move to Italia provided a potential opportunity for more public representation at events at no cost to the Republic.
Antiquo / Dissentio = 1 (FVG)
Abstineo = 1 (AIP)
Comments:
- AIP: While D. Aurelius Ingeniarius is a highly qualified individual and would no doubt serve excellently as consul, the idea of waiving requirements for office for a specific citizen seems dubious. It looks like the Senate putting a finger on the scale in a decision which belongs to the populus. While I understand there is ancient precedent, I do not believe that the creation of such exemptions were widely approved on principle by Republican Romans, even if they approved of particular cases. If we really believe that having D. Aurelius as consul next year is essential, then I think just waiving the age limit entirely for this one election would end up achieving the same result and preserve at least a slightly greater impression of fairness.
CENSUERE - ENACTED
ITEM X - Senatus Consultum De Municipio Novae Condendo
Uti rogas / censeo / consentio = 13 (MACI, AIP, DAI, QAN, AVC, FVG, CnCL, MHMFF, TDD, TiIN, MCMT, PAB, SLT)
Comments:
- AIP: Congratulations to this group of citizens for their hard work in getting to this point. May this municipium be a success.
- DAI: Approved by the Praetorian Law Revision Committee of Classicists and Latinists, there is no argument for us to dissent against this foundation. Congratulations to the founders of the municipium.
Antiquo / Dissentio = 0
Abstineo = 0
CENSUERE - ENACTED
ITEM XI - Senatus Consultum De Termino Tributorum Proferendo
Uti rogas / censeo / consentio = 13 (MACI, AIP, DAI, QAN, AVC, FVG, CCL, MHMFF, TDD, TIN, MCMT, PAB, SLT)
Comments:
- DAI: A wise decision, noting the technical errors that occured to the official PayPal during the beginning of tax payment season.
- TDD: Was a notice ever issued to the people that the PayPal was even back up and running? A reminder, independent of the notice of our vote, should be made to the public.
Antiquo / Dissentio = 0
Abstineo = 0
CENSUERE - ENACTED
Session Results
- Did not vote in this session: CCCB, CPST, CFCAS, PPL.
