User:JoshTheRoman/Romans L

Romans (Latin: Romani) are an ethnic group native to and citizens of the Roman Republic. They are largely based around the, specifically below the and  rivers on the peninsula. Romans near-unanimously follow Jovism as a religion, and the religion plays a large part in daily life. Romans speak Latin, the only surviving language and the parent of many languages in the region.

A small Roman diaspora exists throughout and in minor enclaves all throughout the world. During Rome's near three thousand-year history, its people have contributed greatly to the fields of philosophy, mathematics, physics, chemistry, astronomy, biology, medicine, engineering, linguistics, the social sciences, law, literature, the visual arts, music, and film. It could even be argued that the Romans have founded many of these very fields of study, science, and art.

Religion
Nearly all Romans follow Jovism, a denomination of Paganism, as the polytheistic of Rome. While modern adherents use the religion to define themselves as a people, early Romans adopted the religious practices of peoples brought under and integrated into Roman rule, such as the or.

The earliest of of Rome's religious institutions could be traced to its founders, particularly, the second , who negotiated directly with the gods. This was the foundation of the mos maiorum, "the way of the ancestors" or simply "tradition", viewed as central to Roman identity. Eventually, the religion of the Romans underwent extensive reformation in the 3rd century based on the life and teachings of Apollonius, who lived two centuries prior.

During his life, Apollonius denounced decadence and greed, healed the sick, gave to the needy, spoke as a law-giver, was condemned by Roman authorities, and upon his death, he seen as the savior of the world, given to the world by the gods.

Appearance
Romans have strong features which exemplify themselves with olive skin tones that do not widely stray from the  phenotype of generally white skin, though with a bronze tint to it. Romans easily tan and become a light brown if time is spent in the sun, while they can just as easily become pale and ruddy if time is spent indoors. The faces of Roman men are typically squarish with strong chiseled features, while Roman woman boast round facial features with large eyes and soft, almost porcelain skin that is generally free of blemishes and other imperfections. Their hair is can either be curly or straight with a chestnut brunette coloration, while their eyes have a tendency toward brownish-black hues.

Physically, Romans are usually above average height compared to their neighbors, standing a few centimeters taller than the average southern European individual for their respective sex. Men are well-built but not overwhelmingly so, given their day-to-day work which tend to keep the average Roman male in physical fitness. Roman women are likewise well-built, but are more slender than their male counterparts with supple frames and wide hips. Men almost always boast some form of facial hair given the cultural attitudes of the Roman people, while female Romans remain neatly shaved and trimmed.

Calendar
Like nearly every nation or culture with four seasons per year, the Romans follow the Furian calendar, recreated by Lucius Furius in the 14th century. The Romans are espicially notable for their extraordinary amount of Jovist holidays, which they have observed for over two thousand years.

Naming
Roman names are quite unique, distinguishing the Romans from other people. Roman names consist of a combination three personal and family names. Conventionally referred to as the tria nomina. In order, the first name of a Roman is their given name (praenomen). Most of the time, only family and close friends may call a Roman by their given name. The second name of a Roman is their clan name (nomen). Romans are called this name by acquaintances or colleagues. The third name of a Roman is their family name (cognomen). This name is only used during formalities. Few Romans have nicknames (agnomen), which are gained through personal achievements or distinct physical characteristics. In the case of adoption, a person's original nomen would become the basis of their new agnomen, formed by adding the suffix -anus or -inus to the stem.

Language
Romans speak Latin, the only surviving language belonging to the Italic language family, and the parent of several languages, such as Spanish, Italian, and Illyrian. The Romans are the source and inventors of the, which is in use by over half of the world's nations. Due to Rome's economic prominence, Latin is used by many as a , or a way to communicate for when people do not share a common language.

Since the sixth century, literacy was used as a way to distinguish proper Romans from vulgar, foreign barbarians who claimed to be Roman. Because of this, literacy rates among Romans have been historically very high. In the modern day, the adult literacy rate exceeds 99% and an illiterate Romans are virtually non-existent.

Cuisine
Roman cuisine, like neighboring cultures, form an important part of Roman culture. Although the peoples of the Italian peninsula have seen a cultural divide over the ages, Roman cuisine is very similiar, if not identical to Italian cuisine. Like Italian cuisine, Roman food constitutes a key feature of global food culture. The development of large restaurant and food chains selling Roman cuisine means that the people across the world recognize Rome as one of the leading cultural nations on the globe.

The main ingredients of Roman dishes include seafood, fish. beef, pork, rice, tomatoes, cheese, bread, and pasta. All types of spices, salts, herbs, and peppers are used in cooking to enhance the flavor of these foods. Just like Italian cuisine, Roman food has many variants and accents depending on region. Some of Rome's staple dishes include ', flat pasta stacked on each other with meat and cheese in between; ', circular flatbread baked with tomato sauce, cheese, and other toppings; and , long, thin, cylindrical, solid pasta typically served with meat and tomato sauce, all of which are some of the most recognizable foods across the globe.