Naming Your Character

Roman Naming conventions consist of four parts: the Praenomen, Nomen, Cognomen and Agnomen, in order. A Patrician at birth only has the first three; the agnomen is acquired in life. Roman names can be a fluid and dynamic process as events unfold in their lives.

Free-born Plebeian (and Equestrian) men have a praenomen and a cognomen, but do not have a patrician clan or gens. Generally, plebeians use their homeworld as their official nomen, though most do not use it in daily life. However, a plebeian who has served under a specific patrician House for many years may petition to use the nomen of their patron, in a form modified as for freedmen, described below.  Plebeians can acquire an agnomen in life as well.

Plebeians often use non-Roman names for their Praenomen or Cognomen, but rarely for both. The variety of cultures absorbed into the Republic and the spread of humanity from its original homeworld guaranteed that names from many Old Earth cultures are in common use.

Praenomen: The praenomen is the given name. It is a personal appellation given to an infant on their day of lustration.

The following list of Praenomen is only a sample.  Names from other cultures on Earth are perfectly acceptable, especially outside of Patrician circles.
Examples:  Aemilius, Agrippa, Albius, Anneaus, Annius, Appius (Ap.), Atticus, Aulus (A.), Caecilius, Caelius, Caius*, Calvus, Carus, Cato, Catullus, Celsus, Claudius, Clodius, Collatinus, Crispus, Curtius, Decimus (D.), Duilius, Drusus, Ennius, Falernus, Faustus, Flavius (Fl.), Furius, Gaius* (G.), Gellius, Gnaeus (Cn.), Herminius, Hirtius, Horatius, Hostus, Icilius, Laelius, Livius, Lucanus, Lucius (L.), Lucretius, Maelius, Maccius, Mancinus, Marcus (M.), Marius (M’.), Maro, Martialius, Maximus, Memmius, Menenius, Metellus, Mettius, Minucius, Mucius, Naevius, Nasica, Nepos, Nero, Numitorius, Otho, Ovidius, Papinius, Paterculus, Persius, Petronius, Pinarius, Plinius, Pollio, Pomponius, Pontius, Porcius, Proculus, Publius (P.), Pulcher, Quintus (Q.), Rufus, Sallustius, Septimus, Servius (Ser.), Sestius, Sextus (Sex.), Spurius (Sp.), Statius, Suetonius, Tarpeius, Tatius, Tiberius (Ti.), Tibullus, Titus (T.), Valerius, Varro, Velleius, Vergilius, Verginius, Virbius, Vitruvius.

The names Primus, Secundus, Tertius, Quartus, Quintus, Sextus, Septimus, Octavius, Nonius, and Decimus mean, respectively, 'first', 'second', 'third', 'fourth', 'fifth', 'sixth', 'seventh', 'eighth', 'ninth', and 'tenth', and were originally given to second, third, etc. sons in birth order. In the RFR this birth-number significance is not strictly adhered to: the numerical praenomen can instead stand for the number of the month in which the person was born and some no longer carry any significance, parents just like the way they sound. Some abbreviations are shown.

Nomen: The second name, or nomen gentile, is the name of the gens (clan), in masculine form for men. The original gentes were descended from the family groups that settled Nova Roma. These founding families eventually developed into entire clans. The Clans or Tribes are ranked in a specific order of precedence indicating prestige and honor for protocol purposes.  The following list of Patrician Nomen can not be used by non-Patricians except in limited circumstances with the -ipor/-ianus suffixes.  I'm listing them here so you don't choose one of these as your name unless you are Patrician.

Cornelius, Fabius, Valerius, Julius, Claudius, Manlius, Fulvius, Furius, Aurelius, Junius, Papirus, Acilius, Flaminius, Aelius, Sulpicius, Calpurnius, Plautius, Quinctius, Aemilius, Terentius, Servilius, Porcius, Popillius, Cassius, Sempronius, Octavius, Marius, Tullius, Licinius, Pompeius.

Cognomen: The third name, or cognomen, began as a nickname or personal name that distinguished individuals within a Gens. The cognomen is now inherited from father to son, serving to distinguish a family within a Gens. Often the cognomen was chosen based on some physical or personality trait of the family founder, sometimes with ironic results.  A small sampling of possible cognomina follows:

Achaeus, Achilleus, Afer, Africanus, Calvus (the Bald), Conctator (delayer), Felix (lucky), Flaccus (flabby), Graecus, Invictus (Invincible), Italus, Lentulus (the slow), Lepidus (pleasant), Libys, Maior, Mareoticus (the Egyptian), Nauticus, Pantera (panther, betrayer), Parthicus, Pernix (the swift), Persicus, Pertinax (tenacious), Piscator (fisherman), Pilatus (spearman), Poenus, Postumus, Scaevola (lefty), Tacitus (silent).

Agnomen: A second cognomen, called agnomen, is sometimes added to make a distinction within a family. Most are given to a specific individual as a nickname, but some are inherited like the cognomen, thus establishing a subfamily. The cognomina listed above can serve as agnomina as well.

Foreigners and Slaves use the gens of the master or sponsor, modified to show a possessive form by changing the “-ius” suffix to “-ipor.” For example, a slave named Thomas of Marcus Aurelius Scipio would be called Thomas Aurelipor.

Freedmen, or former slaves, change the “-ipor” suffix to “-ianus” but otherwise retain the gens of their former master. Also, discharged auxiliary soldiers and other foreigners granted citizenship sometimes take the nomen of their former commander or sponsor, using the -ianus” suffix out of respect. For example, if Marcus were to free Thomas Aurelipor, his name would be changed to Thomas Aurelianus.

Women’s Names

Roman women have a Praenomen that is often non-Roman in origin, even among the Patricians. Because of the paternalistic nature of Roman society however, the nomen, and Roman style praenomen, for women differs from men. Women use the feminine form of the praenomen and of their father’s nomen. The feminine form can be made by changing the “-ius” in the name to “-ina” or “-ia.” Among Patrician households, it is common for a father to give his daughter the feminine form of his own praenomen as well. For example, the daughter of Lucius Julius Caesar may be called Lucia Julia. She may be commonly called Julia or Lucia with friends. If a Patrician has more than one daughter he may give them the agnomen “Maior” for the older and “Minor” for the younger, or use the feminine form of the numerical names, as listed above for men.

Within the larger clans, or the more prominent families, the cognomen in feminine is also used. After marriage, a woman keeps her praenomen and her father’s nomen, but adopts her husband’s cognomen. So if Lucia Julia Caesar, above, were to marry Marcus Aurelius Scipio, she would be L. Julia Scipio and may either take the agnomen Caesaria or the filiation “Lucius filia” to honor her father further.

Some names from Roman history as examples:

Aelia Domitia Paulina, Aemelia Tertia, Agrippina, Antonia, Aquilia Severa, Atia Balba, Caesonia, Aurelia Cotta, Claudia Marcella, Claudia Metrodora, Claudia Pulchra, Clodia, Cornelia, Domitia Decidiana, Domitia Lepida, Domitia Longina, Domitia Lucilla, Domitia, Paulina, Galla Placidia, Helvia, Hersilia, Julia, Julia Avita Mamaea, Julia Domna, Julia Livia, Julia Maesa, Julia Serviana Paulina, Licinia, Livia Drusilla, Livilla
Lucilla, Lucretia, Marcia, Messalina, Murcia, Octavia, Plautia Urgulanilla, Pomponia, Pomponia Graecina, Publilia, Rhea, Scribonia, Servilia, Silvia, Tanaquil, Tarpeia, Tarquinia, Tatia, Tulia, Vipsania Agrippina, Vipsania Julia.

Roman Society is a study in overlapping layers of duality. At the most basic is Human versus Non-human. Any human, as defined by the Lex Genetica, has at least the potential to become a Roman citizen.

Non-humans can attain wealth, own property and generally prosper, but they can never achieve Roman citizenship. The next level of comparison is Citizen versus non-citizen. Non-citizen humans have all of the privileges of non-humans, and also the capacity to attain citizenship. Usually non-citizens are from newly assimilated worlds or slaves. Newly assimilated humans are Republican nationals, but not citizens. There are some worlds wherein this status is considered an honor, worlds which fought hard for independence. Slaves are either recently conquered, civil criminals or their descendants. The most common way for a citizen to lose citizenship is enslavement as criminal punishment.

Patricians

Within the ranks of citizens are the classic divisions of Roman society, Plebeians and Patricians. Patricians are the upper class descendants of the founding families of the Republic. Originally there were twelve families. Those twelve grew into clans or tribes of families, the Gentes, and as they split up during the early years of the Republic, formed the Thirty Clans of the Patrician Gens, as noted below. The Patricians as a class are responsible for the civil administration of the Roman government, for leading the Legions of the Roman military and for ensuring the safety and welfare of the Roman State and its people.

This heavy burden is the price paid for the wealth guaranteed by the laws and might of Rome. All senators are Patrician, and in order to maintain the status, Patrician men must perform a minimum amount of civic duty, without pay. The primary duty is military service. A Patrician may serve in the civil administration at the lowest levels without having served in the military, but he may never advance to quaestor or beyond until he does so. Military service followed by an appointment as quaestor is the beginning of the cusrsus honorum, the semi-formal political career of Patrician men, detailed below. Patrician Houses, the corporate structure composed of all the assets of one Pater Familias and his extended family, are the basic building blocks of the Roman economy and of Patrician society. The House, capitalized, is also the formalized expression of the patriarchal nature of Roman society. The eldest living male relative in a family, by direct descent, controls all the assets and to a large extent the social dealings of all his lineal descendants. A typical House consists of a Man, his children, and in some cases, his grandchildren.

Physically, the House will likely include multiple dwellings, most notably the Domus and Villa described in the Overview, as well as corporate assets such as patents, licenses, stocks, mines, colonies and sometimes entire worlds. No company may conduct business in the Republic without a Patrician patron. In some cases assets may be owned by Gens or clan rather than a single family. As discussed in the section on Names, the families formed as sub-groups of the original families which became the clans. Some assets remained clan property as the clan expanded, rather than going to a specific family. The Clan Elders manage such property for the benefit of the clan.

Women and Family

Roman society is patriarchal to a great extent. The Lex Patria governs the social codes which form the structure of Patrician life. Inheritance is granted at the death of the pater familias to each son. Women are required to have a male patron, either father, husband or brother. Some powerful women have a token patron, a man who serves the legal role but is in reality an employee. Such relationships are exercises in balance and require a lot of trust. Children are born into their father’s station if they are legitimate. Illegitimate children are born of the lower station of their father or mother, unless recognized by the father of higher station. Children whose father is unknown are born into their mother’s station.

For example, the child of a woman slave is born a slave if the father is a slave, unknown, or known but does not recognize his paternity. Early inheritance can be achieved by a son by a grant from his Pater familias, usually his father. In such a case the family is split, and the son becomes an independent pater familias. Most families avoid this circumstance as it weakens the corporate family, and the new pater usually does not have the wealth or connections of his previous pater.

However, under extreme circumstances when a father and son can not coexist, this is the only civil solution. When a daughter is married she is given a dowry, property which is managed by her husband but is legally hers to keep.

Clothing Styles

In the Republic, like everything else, clothing styles are in two different classes: Patrician and Plebeian. The Equites dress one way or the other, depending on the individual’s attitude.

Patricians dress in a style that emulates ancient Rome, but with modern, high-tech, improvements. For example, a Senator will wear a toga in the ancient style, but it might be made of a thermal reactive fabric, have an anti-scan weave or be carbon-fiber armor. Likewise, accessories appear archaic, brooches, rings, etc., but they may contain any sort of device, such as communications, jamming, location transponders, etc.

Plebeians dress in opposite fashion. That is, they wear modern, practical looking clothes, but they adorn it with archaic looking (or actually low-tech) accessories or accents. For example, a pilot may wear a modern flight suit but wears a silk head scarf. An Equites business man would wear a suit with modern features (anti-scan weave, armor, etc.) but throws over it his toga.

Non Romans wear their native styles if they were recently integrated into the republic, or they emulate the Roman styles, sometimes with historical inspiration. For example, in the Achaen Sector they emulate the styles of classical Greece. In the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Aegypt, they wear Egyptian styles from the Alexandrian dynasty, or sometimes from the Pharonic eras.

Aliens will usually make some attempt to “fit in” depending on physical capabilities, limits of understanding of clothing and fashion, and extent of integration into the New Roman Republic.

Roman Religion

The Roman state religion is a collection of gods and goddesses made up of ancient legends, deified historical persons and adopted or incorporated beliefs from assimilated peoples. The resulting amalgamation has some apparently irreconcilable differences which do not bother Romans generally. For example, the Judeo-Christian-Islamic God is officially equated with Chaos, the original creator. Alongside are Saturn, the first King of the gods and equated with the Achaean Cronos. Jupiter, the Achaean Zeus, is regarded as the supreme deity of the “worldly” gods, along with Quirinus, Faunus, Bellona, Venus, Vesta, Terminus, Flora, Janus and Mars. There are many others, each with his or her own temple on Nova Roma, a festival day dedicated to him or her, and a pontiff or pontiffs to maintain them, appointed by the Pontifex Maximus.

The most famous of the festivals is the Saturnalia, a festival in remembrance of the Golden Age of Saturn’s rule. Another famous tradition is that of maintaining open the temple of Mars during wartime and closing them during peace. The doors to the temple of Mars on Nova Roma have never been closed in recorded memory. The Field of Mars, located nearby, is the most prestigious Roman military academy, where Patrician sons learn the military trade craft.

Romans also believe that their ancestors watch over them and guard them. Accordingly, every roman house has a small shrine to the departed ancestors, and Romans are very conscious of how their ancestors would perceive certain actions or consequences. This is more pronounced the higher the station, with Patrician House shrines being very elaborate.

With all of the influences combined into Roman religious beliefs, and the general acceptance of other religious beliefs, the only things in a spiritual system that the Romans frown upon are intolerance, and a refusal to pay at least lip service respect for the official religion. It is important to note that Romans do not expect conversion of assimilated peoples, only that such people respect their religion. In this area Romans may be the most tolerant of their neighbors.

Equestrian Order

Special attention should be given to the Equestrian Order as it plays a significant role in Roman society. Equites, or Equestrians, are legally Plebeians, subject to all the rights and limitations of Plebeians according to the Roman Social Codes and the Lex Patria. The Equestrian Order originated as a guild or trade group, representing what are traditionally considered the technical professionals.

This includes scientists, doctors, engineers and other such professionals, whose fields of endeavor require highly specialized knowledge. The Equestrians are usually the wealthiest of Plebeians as their skills command high compensation. Through the organization of the Order they can be a formidable voting bloc within the Republic, wielding much influence in Plebeian circles. However, their efforts to attain political power commensurate with their wealth, to move the Republic towards technocracy, usually unites Patrician and Plebeian interests against them, hence the current balance. To an extent, those efforts have also caused internal polarization of the Order, as not all members are interested in supplanting, or even becoming, Patrician. Equestrians often have the best of both worlds: wealth without the responsibility of governing.

Because the Equestrians are the technical class, certain military positions are traditionally filled by Equestrians only, filling the role of Warrant Officers in modern militaries. The most common place to find them is in the scientific and engineering sections of a Legion or Fleet. Occasionally someone of Equestrian rank attains a staff position, usually in the Intelligence field, but they may not be given actual command of troops (Imperium.)

The Plebeians

The Lex Patria (see Patricians) applies to Plebeians also in regards to family and inheritance, and the birth class of persons. However, Plebeian men generally have fewer civic responsibilities than Patricians. In order to earn the right to vote, however, a Plebeian must serve a minimum five-year tour of duty in the military. Only by proving himself or herself willing to risk his or her life for the Republic can a Plebeian earn the right to choose who will govern the Republic.

Since there are very few opportunities for women in the military, the effect of this requirement is to disenfranchise most Roman women. The only military positions women may perform are in the Navy, and those are restricted to non-combat positions. As a consequence the highest concentration of women in the Roman navy are on hospital ships and tenders.

Citizen Plebeians

The Roman commoner, the Plebeians, comprise the bulk of the citizen population. They do not have the responsibilities of governing the Republic, and consequently are barred from attaining most public offices. Early in the history of the Republic there was much strife between the two classes, a tension which remains below the surface. The compromise that evolved gives the Patricians the responsibility for governing, along with the social privileges and limitations discussed above, but depriving them of the vote. For their part, the Plebeians received the confirmation that the Republic is a government for the people, and that they are the people. In recognition of that fact, only Plebeians vote in general elections, and the Tribunes were established as the Plebeian’s voice in government.

Plebeians live fairly comfortable, if not extravagant lives. They may be second class to Patricians, but the Republic grants them higher status and privilege that anyone else. Progress Level 7 technology is used to make them comfortable, to keep them healthy, and to entertain them. While the Patrician houses vie against each other for political power, the Plebeians live their lives under the Republic’s protective arms.

So the Patricians would have everyone believe. The truth, as always, is something a little off. With the Roman system of clients and patrons, plebeians are often the pieces moving about in Patrician power games. Patrician Houses are staffed by Plebeians, slaves and freedmen. The bulk of the fighting forces of the Legions are Plebeian as well. The only absolute truth in the above is that the full force of Roman technology is used for the health system, manufacturing and entertainment. Romans are very healthy and the medical technologies ensure long lives. Manufacturing and most hazardous jobs are performed by robots or slaves. And there is a multi-trillion sesterces entertainment industry producing holovids, music stars and gladiators.

Among themselves, Plebeians are much more free in their social interactions than Patricians, primarily because the political interactions of the Patrician clans and Houses restricts Patrician options. For Plebeians, politics is far down the list of considerations in social interaction. The most ambitious Plebeians work their way into the Equestrian Order with the hopes of rising to Patrician status, or work their way up in the service of a Patrician patron. For a Plebeian content with his life, the only worry is committing some crime that will cause his enslavement and the loss of citizenship status.

Among the non-citizen humans, service in the Auxiliary forces grants Roman citizenship and Plebeian status. This is the only path to citizenship for non-Roman humans. While the Democratic Faction enjoys a certain amount of popular support, the propaganda machines of the other factions, and the patron-client system, work together to keep them a small minority.

Gladiators

Roman medical technology has made this ancient profession one in which a long career can now be contemplated. Plebeian, Freedman and even slaves have risen to super star status fighting in the coliseum against aliens, monsters and each other. The fights are televised throughout the Republic and each tribe and faction has its private box at the coliseum. Some of these boxes are elaborate suites with broad windows, video displays, banquet facilities and a host of servants. Below, the stands fill with Plebeians, some with season tickets, encouraging their favorite fighters. Along side more familiar stars of film, stage and music, gladiators are the kings of the Roman sports.

Roman Criminal Justice

When it comes to criminal offenses, versus civil offenses, the Republic only recognizes capital punishment for the most heinous acts. Simple murder, rape or treason is not sufficient by itself. The Republic practices a kind of life sentence that is tantamount to capital punishment: penal colonies. The penal worlds are barely habitable by human standards, ranging from frigid to desert, and usually have no net redeeming quality. Prisoners are deposited with no survival equipment and no technology.

There is no parole, no colony administration, nothing. Because it is not safe to keep dangerous criminals in society, they are not enslaved. However, slavery is a common penalty for civil offenses and for property crimes, such as theft. Depending on the severity of the offense, the convicted either performs a limited term of indenture, in which case he is still considered a “free person” once released and reclaims all citizen privileges; or he is enslaved for life. Life slaves lose citizen status and even if they are later freed, become “freedmen.” This is the only way for a Plebeian to fall into slave status.

Patricians can not be enslaved for any offenses, but may be stripped of their Patrician status, in effect, becoming Plebeian. After that, any further offense may impose slavery upon the individual. Equites have no special privileges in this regard and are treated as Plebeians. Trials are conducted before a Praetor. The accused may hire an orator to speak on his behalf and assist with the defense. The prosecution is conducted by lictors. Citizens are considered innocent until proven guilty. Non-citizens only have the benefit of doubt in cases against each other. Citizens are given the benefit of the doubt versus non-citizens.

Praetors are judges. The Praetors sit in Rome and are the judges of first instance for Patricians. They are also the appellate judges for Plebeians and non-Romans. Praetors are elected by the Senate.

Lictors assist Praetors and Consuls as bailiffs, clerks and special assistants.

Curatores are the Bureaucrats, the general civil servants of the Republic, and refers to any public servant of Plebeian class.

Vigiles are Civilian Police Officers charged with maintaining the peace and investigating crimes.

Agentes In Rubis: The Crimson Guard, the Republican Secret Service, technically under the command of the Consul. Includes the subdivision of Curiosi, the undercover agents of the Republic Intelligence.

Some other political entities in the galaxy in and around the Roman Federated Republic.

If one were to look at the galaxy such that its spin were clockwise we would say we are "above" looking down.  From such an angle, choosing the Orion Arm of the galaxy as a center point, the RFR is spinward from there covering an expanse almost 1,000 light years wide in an arc along the galactic disk, and half as wide from core to rim.  On the anti-spinward or "right" side of the Republic is an area known as the Spiral Crescent where the bend in the Orion arm is noticeable.  In this region straddling from core to rim are the Kingdom of Armenia, the Syrian Sector of the Republic, the Kingdom of Judea and the Kingdom of Arabia.  Along the rim bordering Judea, the Republic and Arabia is the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Aegypt the third largest polity in the region.  Anti-spinward and continuing along the arc of the galaxy is the Parthian Empire, the full extent of which is unknown to the Republic.

The Achaeans are part of the Republic inhabiting the sector of Achaea along with several other sectors coreward and spinward of there.

The Nabateans are a people with no known homeworld that live within Judea, Arabia, Aegypt and presumably in Parthia as well.

The Carthago were a non-human, very alien species that were exterminated by the Romans.  It was said they bred humans as food animals and they are described as hideous insectoid aliens.

Coreward of the Republic and Armenia, where the stars crowd together, are a nomadic space-faring people who organize themselves into clans named after animals of the Ancient World.  The Panther, Tiger, Lion, Eagle, etc. Clans claim many worlds, and collect tribute from inhabited worlds in their territory, as they roam among the stars of their claimed territory.  It is in this area that Rome has been expanding of late.

For clarification:

The Roman Federated Republic is solidly in Progress Level 7 with access to all PL7 technology in the Alternity Books.  However, two areas lack widespread use for cultural reasons.

First, the Romans abhor any major genetic engineering.  They use it to cure illness or genetic conditions, but altering the genes of human beyond that makes the subject no longer legally human.  The Lex Genetica governs who is human and only humans can be citizens.

Second, cybernetics.  Romans use cybernetics to replace lost functionality, not to enhance.  The prefer cloned organ and limb replacement to cybernetics, though some soldiers retain field-installed cybernetics as a badge of honor for their service.  Excessive cybernetics also triggers a loss of humanity (legal and through cykosis).

The Parthian Empire is also PL7 and has no cultural taboos about genetic engineering.  They use genetically altered beings as soldiers regularly.

The other powers are in PL6 with access to PL7 Star Drives from one of the two above.  The Achaeans have PL7 medical techinology on their own.

PL6 equipment is readily available and inside the Republic so is PL7.  I know you have no equipment now, but when you get out and go looking for some, inside the Republic PL6 gear is 10-10% cheaper than PL7, but they are not compatible:  computer OSs don't communicate, weapon clips don't fit, etc.  Outside of the Republic PL6 gear is book price and PL7 is 10-20% more expensive.