Culture of Rome (Superpowers)

The culture of the Roman Empire is the longest continually existing culture in human history. Over its three thousand year long existence it has assimilated countless other cultures to its own, always taken desirable aspects from the cultures it wipes out. Interestingly, this has divided the Empire into several distinct subcultures that have been cultivated over the years by the federal government. Although they share their religious beliefs and national values, their differences in customs, arts, lifestyles and languages make each of them a unique addition to the agglomeration that is the Roman Empire.

As 33% of all inhabited land is within the Imperium, the influence of Rome is more widespread than any other culture on the planet. This area of influence has come to be known as the Romanosphere. India, North Africa, mainland Europe, the Caribbean, Oceania and the Amazon have all been fully assimilated into Roman culture, whilst Scandinavia, Indonesia, the Andes and the Middle East are all within Rome's sphere of influence. Even fully independent countries experience a pull towards the Roman way of life. Many of them buy Roman products, watch Roman television and movies, read Roman books and eagerly listen to speeches delivered by Roman politicians.

However, the development of Roman culture has been characterized by intense racism that has stemmed from a belief that Mediterranean cultures; Roman, Aegyptian, Aramaic, Greek and Phoenician, are the most important cultures on the planet. This is reflected in their almost exclusive granting of citizenship to these ethnic groups, to the point of them having a great deal more rights in the Empire. The greatest symbol of Roman subjugation of other ethnicities is the dreaded Poll Tax that non-citizens have been subject to for millennia. This is a special income tax for Peregrini (non-citizens) that is placed on top of the standard income tax. Since the creation of the Roman Constitution, the Poll Tax has been frozen at 20% of income. In 1999 this has meant that Peregrini paid 42% of their income to the federal government as taxes.

Body Language
As with all societies, body language is of immense importance when conveying ideas during social interactions in the Roman Empire. Understanding these signals is vital to gaining a proper understanding of Roman culture and the intricacies that it entails. Although this is not a complete analysis, it hopefully serves to further immerse oneself in the Roman lifestyle. To start off, the most famous action in Roman public speaking is known as the adlocutio, and is something performed frequently by Emperors, generals and guildmasters during addresses to their inferiors. The adlocutio is made by pointing the arm upwards and towards whoever is being addressed and then pointing one finger subtly ahead of the speaker. More than anything it conveys power and usually garners respect for a speaker from the audience.

The most powerful signal in Roman customs is however the genuflectio, something which is performed almost exclusively by the Emperor or the very arrogant. The action is a sign to the receiver that the person making it is well above them in importance, and that they should kneel before them. It is done by pointing the arm forward and down, at a slight angle, with the palm facing downward. For anyone to otherwise perform the genuflectio is a great insult to a person's honor, and in the 16th to 18th centuries would usually result in the performer being shot.

Another insulting gesture to the Romans is the flipping of the digitus impudicus at a person. One of the simpler signals, giving someone the finger simply entails showing them ones middle finger with your palm facing away from them. The connotation here being essentially "up yours". Also, doing the same thing, only with the little and index fingers out is a sign known as the cornutus and implies to the receiver that they have an unfaithful wife. Lastly, forming a circle with the thumb and index with the other fingers radiating outwards is an indication that you think someone performs lewd sexual acts, and like the others does a dishonor to the receiver. Such gestures are hugely insulting in upper-class Roman society.

An arm crossing over the body is a universal gesture to all human beings that indicates either uneasiness or displeasure at what one is hearing. The Romans have a unique variant of this for themselves, one which is more subtle than the standard crossed arms and actually helps the user to portray dominance even while in this defensive position. One of the arms is crossed over as normal but the arm which it touches is raised vertically with the thumb touching the other fingers in a "beak" shape. This beak gesture is also used frequently by Romans in a conversation to emphasize a point, with the implication being that it is a threat for if you don't accept their argument (though it is usually not as serious as this).

A standard greeting in the Roman Empire is a handshake wherein each participant grabs the other around the wrist rather than the palm. This came from the practice of checking for concealed weapons when greeting a political or business opponent. Though its formal variant is usually done by having each person stand still directly opposite each other, a friendlier and more commonly used version is performed when the participants then use their left hand to gently touch the other's elbow. Relatives or long-time friends will often follow this sort of thing up with a hug, an action which is in general only done when two people are personally close to each other. Unfamiliar members of the opposite-sex will usually greet each other with a kiss on each cheek whilst kisses on the lips are reserved for either the sealing of a deal or the bedroom. Unlike most cultures, a peck on the lips between two men is viewed purely in this business context, distinguishing itself from its intimate counterpart by being quick and uninvolved. The wedding ceremony is the one place where these two meanings merge as one.

The Romans especially distinguish themselves from OTL modern Italians in that touching another person during a conversation is considered rude, as are exacerbated hand gestures involving the waving around of one's arms. In many of their attitudes the Romans show similarities to the OTL British. Unnecessary smiling is considered undignified for the upper-classes and even poor Romans have their chin pointed upwards in pride when they look at foreigners. The hands together behind-the-back is another stance taken by most Romans in foreign, even simply non-Italian locales. It establishes that they are in control and puts them in a position to be more easily able to bring their hands to bear on some other tasks in one swift motion. To the Romans, the appearance of power is an indispensable way for them to project power.

Food & Drugs
Traditional Roman culture places a high priority on the enjoyment of food, particularly in social gatherings. Although the style of Roman dining has changed very little in the last 2000 years, the dishes themselves have been heavily influenced by Greek, Columbian and Indian food. Their eating habits have also changed very little in that that time; dinner is still the most important meal of the day and it continues to be eaten in the triclinium.

For the lower classes, breakfast is eaten at dawn as the ientaculum. For this meal, Romans are seated normally at a table and usually follow it up by immediately leaving for work. Since the rich did not have this obligation, they serve a different meal at around 10 to 11 am called the prandium. Perhaps the closest recognizable equivalent to this meal is brunch as it is often served with food from a typical Roman vesperna (lunch). This next meal was the least important of the day as it was only eaten to provide enough energy for the rest of the day and was served quickly around 1 pm.

The mother of all Roman meals is the Cena (dinner) and it is a popular setting for most parties in the Empire. Even the lower strata of society engage in dinner parties in modern times, though these are nowhere near the entertainment level that they are among the aristocracy. A typical high-class Cena begins around 5 pm (after a skipped lunch) and often goes on late into the night. The meal begins with the gustatio (appetizers), a course consisting of non-filling but very delicious foods to prepare the guests for the prima mensae (main course). This part of the meal can consist of several servings, depending on the ambition of the host. Then, in the last few hours of the Cena, the secunda mensae (dessert) is brought out. This consists of fruits such as pomegranates or figs and sweetened pastries like cakes, rolls and fruit tarts. A lot of the food in this course has honey added to it to further magnify the taste. Finally, the party is ended with a comissatio (round of drinks), after which the men, and a few women, go out into a designated room to vomit.

The entire meal is usually eaten in the triclinium on special couches called lecti that circle around the table. The average aristocrat attends about 20 dinners of this sort a year, though some gourmets have been known to attend upwards of 100. During the meal entertainment is usually provided in the form of exotic dancers, exotic animals, demonstrations of skill on the part of paid entertainers or even some guests (like sword swallowing) or even brutal fights between paid boxers, slaves or small animals. The city of Memphis is renowned for a special amphitheater with a huge row for the hosting of dinner parties, allowing a host to provide the entertainment of large scale combat or theater productions for his guests.

Cena and prandium are also the only meals served in public establishments such as restaurants and delis, because no one would pay to be served basic bread and vegetables that they could easily be making themselves.

Food
Both kinds of Roman breakfast feature wheat bread of some kind, often dipped in olive oil or served with cheese and crackers. Prandium is interesting because it usually features meat of some kind, like pork or beef and animal products such as eggs. The most popular meat for this time of the day is lucanica, a short, smoked pork sausage.

As previously mentioned, appetizers are usually foods that maximize taste but are not especially filling. However, the variety of food for each course is vast and a comprehensive list is impossible. For the gustatio there is: fava beans, lentils, peas, shrub leaves for seasoning, boletus, truffles, snails, clams, oysters, sea urchins, dormice, thrushes and mulsum, a mixture of wine and honey.

The main course usually consists of rich, heavy meats such as duck, chicken, turkey, beef or roasted pig stuffed with sausages and seasoning. Hares, laurices (rabbit foetuses), peacocks, swans and especially mullus (goatfish) are considered fine delicacies, even today. To add taste, the Romans add a multitude of spices to their food. Pepper and hundreds of Eastern spices are imported daily in vast quantities from India and Indonesia. The most important Roman seasoning, however, is and has always been garum, a sauce made by exposing salted fish intestines to elevated levels of heat over the course of a month or two. The result is a very strong smelling fish sauce that is the most popular food condiment next to salt. In the Roman culinary arts, a dish is considered a success if it is impossible for even the most experienced gourmet to recognize its ingredients.

Alcohol
Roman Europe possesses the most renowned wineries on the planet in its regions of Gaul, Hispania and northern Italy. In those regions alone about 40 billion liters are produced every year with another 80 billion liters produced elsewhere in the Empire. This level of production barely satisfies the Romans' yearly 112 billion liters demand for wine, or 52 liters per capita. Furthermore, the average Roman, Greek or Phoenician (the biggest consumers of wine) have a consumption rate of 105 liters per capita. The surplus 8 billion liters is mostly exported to Japan, the largest buyer of Roman wine. The only other three producers of wine in the world are the Inca Provinces at 8 billion liters, the Mongol Empire at 6 billion liters and the Mayan Conglomerate at 5 billion liters. These countries hardly export their product as most of their production goes towards satisfying domestic demand.

The other major alcoholic beverages are beer and vodka. The latter is primarily drank by Germanics in the territories of former Muscovy, so the majority of its production and consumption is centered across a belt between Rome and the Mongols. It became very popular in the 11th century a few centuries after the Slavic tribes joined the Federations of Germania. Since then it has spread to Nords and become a very popular beverage in Scandinavia, where about 40 liters per capita are consumed each year. However, this is only a third of what Germanic people drink. Beer on the other hand is popular worldwide, from the coasts of Indonesia to the tundra of northern Columbia. At a level of consumption of 260 billion liters per year it is the third most consumed beverage in the world. The Roman Empire constitutes approximately 60 billion of those liters. Unsurprisingly, Romans are the most extensive drinkers of alcoholic beverages in the world.

Drugs
Drug use within Roman Europe is on a level nowhere near that which it is in other parts of the Empire, particularly Africa. Opium has been a popular recreational drug since it was made popular as such by trade with the Ottoman Empire in the 1400's. Prior to that time it was used exclusively as an analgesic and its potential to provide quick bliss and comfort was ignored. This form of use constituted about a tenth of all of the demand for opium in the late-1400's because morphine, an opium-based elixir, had been introduced by the Mayans in their treaty of peace.

Meanwhile, cannabis was introduced to Rome in the 8th century by Indian traders coming through the Red Sea. Since it was an expensive product with no noted practical use, the Roman government never endorsed buying it from India. Therefore, the trade of cannabis products (other than the highly demanded hemp) has been controlled by powerful Greek and Egyptian crime or business families. Nevertheless, the drug, like every other drug, is not actually illegal in the Roman Empire. Cannabis is even sold in most pharmacies and certain restaurants. It is, however, culturally discouraged amongst the upper-class, who view recreational drug use with a general disdain. Therefore, compared to some other countries, drug use in the Roman Empire is relatively low.

Religion
MAIN ARTICLE

The central unifying factor of all the Roman cultures is their shared belief in God and the divinity of Christ. Roman Catholicism has been the Empire's state religion since the Edict of Milan was passed by Constantine in 330 CE. Although at the time only 54% of the Roman Empire was Christian, this number has since swelled to more than 90%. Religion is a subject of great pride to the Roman people, one which is discussed far more readily than in OTL. Expressions of belief are considered completely normal to the Romans, a fact which is readily noticeable in their art, film and daily life.

Within the entire population of more than 2 billion people a mere 6.4 million profess no belief in any higher power. Atheists are very thinly spread out over Roman territory, but come together through the Conlegium Atheorum (Guild of Atheists), and their official domain (website) of the same name. Most atheists are rich intellectuals who either have some personal distaste towards the Church or have become disillusioned with the idea of God. Although most of them are highly educated, they have largely failed to attract support due to the challenge in attacking 2000 years of intellectual development of Christian thinking. Despite their occasional ideological attacks on the Church, there has been almost no attempts by the government in the last century to fight back, a method of silence which has been government policy towards them since the reign of Alexander XIV.

Church attendance among Roman Christians is rather high, at about 78% weekly, and >99% at least once a year. Christomiss, the feast of the Birth of Christ, is the most attended religious festival on the Christian calendar. Even the mentally ill or bedridden are given Mass at this time of the year. The day has also taken on a secular meaning, one which is shared with the Mayans and Japanese, as it is also a day of remembrance for those who died on the first day of the Second World War. However, it is its religious importance which is the most strongly emphasized by the public. The 24th, 25th and 26th of December are forced Roman holidays, only certain members of the military must remain at work to protect the nation. The second day is marked by grand celebrations in the city Forums and parks with fireworks, parades and theatrical performances in the Odeons. In the city of Rome, all children born that day are personally baptized by the Emperor in his role as Pope, a tradition that has gone on since the 13th century.

During major religious holidays like Christomiss and Pascha, most Romans gather together at the home of their Gens' (Clan's) patriarch. Some rich Patrician families may even buy out an Odeon or Amphitheater to hold a private show that their whole Clan can enjoy. Following a day of feasting on the 25th December, people will usually spend the next day either relaxing or hosting another party in their homes. Certain less extravagant members of the rich therefore take the 26th to walk the virtually empty city streets and enjoy the sites whilst there is no one else there.

The philosophy of Christianity has evolved very closely with the development of scientific thought. Augustine of Hippo's work City of God is considered to be the seminal piece of writing in Christian thought, and set the stage for what would follow in the next one thousand years. However, it wasn't until the time of Gaius Rhonas that issues such as the problem of Evil and the ontology (nature of existence) of God were considered to be more satisfactorily resolved. His Tabula Theologica proposed the ontological argument for God and explained Evil as an "absence of God", ideas which brought religious sublimity in the painful period of Civil War that he was writing in. Furthermore, the candid reasons he gave for his own belief had a powerful influence on the way Romans would come to profess their own beliefs, ending centuries of religious persecution of non-Christians which had gotten worse since the Crusade and resulting in the founding of the Societas Apostolu Paulu (Society of the Apostle Paul).

The primary link between science and religion for the Romans has always been the belief that understanding nature was a way of approaching the idea of God, and until the Industrial Revolution in the 13th century, most scientists were also members of the clergy. However, the last century's research into the beginning of the universe and the nature of space and time has been very closely tied to theology. The current "Expansive Model" of the start of the universe and the attempts to discover additional dimensions (from three-dimensional to the 10th dimension) both arose from questions that originated in the Church. Incredibly, observations of microwave background radiation and the spontaneous disappearance of particles at high-energies are solid evidence for the validity of these theories.

Social Class
Roman society is divided into distinct strata known as Ordones or Orders. Classification by order is done through blood wherein a child's class is determined by that of his father. In the rare case that, for instance, an upper-class woman had children with a Pleb, their child would still be part of the Plebeian Order. Therefore, marriage between classes is highly discouraged in Roman society and regarded as a dishonor to the higher class family. However, an appeal can be made to a religious and secular authority (a priest and praetor) by a family to elevate someone to their own class prior to a marriage. This can only be authorized by the upper-class father, so it happens less often than one might think. Conversely, someone of a higher order can go down in society through adoption by a lower order family. This is incredibly disgraceful to the participant and their former family.

The peak of the social pyramid is the Imperial family, which is currently the Pontifici clan (Gens). The former Rulliani Gens rose to this height when Pakus Martinex Rullianus Juvenis was adopted by the emperor Alexander XIV in the mid-19th century CE. His descendants have since been known as the Pontifici and are currently the most powerful family in Rome. Altogether they hold 3 senate seats, 2 praetorships, a censorship and over two dozen important positions in the military. Next to Vibius Aemillius Optatus, the emperor Cicero, the most powerful current member of the Pontifici clan is the eldery Gaius Pontificus Carenus. He is the owner of the Patronus International Guild, a group of the most expensive and well-educated defense lawyers in the Empire.

Below the Imperial family is the aristocratic Patrician class, which itself is theoretically divided into two separate orders. The higher one constitutes the 15 most powerful families in the Roman Empire and includes the Cornelii, Claudii, Aemillii, Julii and Junii clans. All of these clans trace their roots to the republican Senate of Ancient Rome and its important senatorial families. Power plays between them have shaped Rome's political landscape for millennia and it is a testament to their influence that many of Rome's finest imperial dynasties have started with a members of these Gentis (including the first Caesars). In these families, a marriage outside of Italian or Greek ethnicities has almost universally resulted in a disinheritance from the clan.

The lower section of the Patricians consists of the other rich senatorial families in the Empire. Whilst only about 11,000 people are from the 15 Families of Rome, there are about 4.3 million people that have citizenship in the Patrician class. This of course means that they are tried in Patrician courts of law by other members of their order (as the Roman Constitution requires). Although legal cases made against a Patrician by another Patrician often succeed, and even many law suits from a Plebeian against a Patrician do as well, the punishment for an aristocrat is usually just the loss of property or wealth. Only charges of treason, regicide or hospicide (killing of one's host) have ever resulted in imprisonment whilst their execution can only occur under order of the Emperor himself. Patricians are also free to enter federal buildings at will (unless specifically prohibited), exclusively run for most bureaucratic positions, follow the Cursus Honorum and receive special treatment and seating at venues such as the theaters, amphitheaters and shops. Otherwise, they pay the same taxes, obey the same laws and have the same vote as members of the other classes.

The next group on the social ladder are the Equites (Equestrians). It is the highest order reachable through the accumulation of wealth, namely 500,000 Dn. There are nearly 146 million Equestrians, constituting about 7% of the entire Roman population. Though they do not have the prestige of aristocrats, many Equestrians are substantially wealthy. Some even more so than their societal superiors. Many of them have achieved such wealth through the incredible work ethic that is characteristic of their order. Whilst Patricians view manual labor, even simple financial accounting, as a degrading profession, members of the Order of Knights, as this class is also known, have no such qualms. For this reason, though many guilds are led by an aristocrat, most corporate management is performed by an Equestrian. The richest one today is Marcus Hephastus Asperus, who's estimated net worth is 10.4 billion Dn, which is to say nothing of the wealth he controls through his ownership of the Danubian Worker's Guild, the largest corporation on the planet.

Down from the Equites is the Plebeian Order, that of the middle and lower classes. Though there is no legal distinction between the two, this order is socially divided into two classes. The Upper-Plebs are the middle-class and majority within the Roman Empire, making up 63% of the entire population. They are given the mentally or physically laborious but often rewarding jobs of the Roman economy, such as banker, butcher, teacher, craftsman and actor as well as the simple jobs like shop clerk and bar owner. The primary distinction between an Upper and Lower Pleb is that the former owns property, though the latter may do so as well once he has enough money.

A majority of Lower-Plebs are from the families of Freedmen, a term which itself no longer has any legal meaning. They are the farmers, miners, janitors, doormen, street cleaners and servants of the Roman Empire. In most cases, the jobs that they hold provide a minimum of pay (90 Asses/hour) and usually very little chance for advancement. Nevertheless, over the last 400 years, many Plebs have managed to acquire property and advance somewhat in society.

Cases of a rapid rise in Roman society are incredibly rare and so often become the stuff of legend. Those who have managed it are called Novo Homo and are celebrities in their own right. Cicero, the great statesman from which the current emperor chose his name, is perhaps the most recognized New Man. He is perhaps the most famous non-emperor in Roman history, with more records written about him than even Julius Caesar himself. Other famous new men are Archaedavincus, one of history's most intelligent people; Lugius, the greatest playwright of all time; and Volta, one of the most successful scientific-businessmen of all time. All three of these men went from being a member of the Plebeian Order and, through their skill and intelligence, rose to the rank of a Patrician. Such stories give a certain kind of hope to the Empire's millions of Plebs.

Sports
The Romans are internationally renowned for their sports, a legacy which they have carried on from the Ancient Greeks. Although the Olympic Games were disbanded in 247 CE by the emperor Benedictus, they were immediately followed that year by the first official Ludus Capitolanus. The first Games was held between the Greek and Latin Provinces, each of which had one team. The custom was that the winning team would decide what city the Games would be held in at the end of the next Lustrum (5 year period). By the 800's most of the Central and Eastern European Provinces were participating in the Games, and by the Civil War period, the Phoenician Provinces in Africa had joined as well. The first game since 1012 was in 1037 CE, held in Rome as an attempt to ease tensions between the Easter and Western Empires. All the Western European Provinces took part in this game, and once the Ludi Capitolani were officially restarted in 1067 by Emperor Aegranus, all of mainland Roman Europe was taking part. At last, in 1197, the Emperor Magnus II allowed the remaining Aegyptian and Aramaic Provinces to join the Games, and virtually the entire Empire was united in this event. That same year, the practice of deciding the next Host City by popular assembly in that Games' Host City was established. The games held in Correlia in 1202 were the first ever Winter Ludus Capitolanus.

Now, 96 of the 98 Provinces take part in the Games (with the exceptions of Melita and Cambria) and it has even come to include a Japanese and Mayan team. The 360 sporting events in the Summer version of the Games mostly consist of competitions of individual strength, agility or finesse. They include: 20 metros frontstroke; 100 metros Dash; High Jump; Quintuple Jump; Discus; Archery; Wrestling and as a team event, Bellatoria. The Ludi are huge international events, watched by 4 and a half billion people around the world. Today, Achaea, Italia and Hispania are tied for most wins in the Games since 1197.

The aforementioned game of Bellatoria is mostly played in the yearly Bellatoria Cup from July to September. The sport is described by most commentators as a "purely Roman sport", and it is indeed one which polarizes Roman culture from within more than any other sporting event. Teams represent major Roman cities, and so there has historically been between 86 teams in the Cup each year. Preliminary games throughout the rest of the year determine which cities get in next to the top 40 teams from the previous year (who are automatically eligible).

The sport itself developed out of leisure games played by soldiers during the Germanic Campaign of the 400's CE. In its modern form it is played between teams of 24 players (a Duodecurion) that each have a 25th player who acts as the Legatus. The goal of the sport is to take the opponent's Legatus over the halfway line whilst their "resources" (two vases) are still destroyed. Every ten minutes any destroyed vase is replaced so there is a small interval when points can be gained. Every 15 seconds that the opposing Legatus is "captured", that team gains a point. At this point the other team will try to free their Legatus so he can run back to their side. Bellatoria is a full contact sport with no equipment except for light metal body armor to protect the players (especially the Legatus).

A similar, though less violent sport, is played by the Greek and Italian cities. Harpastum is a little like a reverse rugby, where a team gets points by keeping the ball on their side of the playing field every ten seconds. These games are very fast paced, going up to only 100 points, and lightly regulated. No equipment is used and it can be played between teams of any number up to 10 people. Harpastum is a favorite leisure sport for the young, rich Romans, something which has given it a reputation as a gentleman's sport. Every other year in October a Greek city hosts the Athenian Cup where Greek and Latin cities compete for the title of first place. Roman Europeans also enjoy the Golf-like game of Paganica as a leisure activity and as a professional sport in the African and Carribean Cups in December and January respectively.

However, not all sports played in Rome come from the Romans. Ullapila is a high-impact sport which developed in Rome from the Mayan ball game Ullamaliztli during the reign of Alexander XIV. Ullamaliztli was a favorite sport of the emperor, so on diplomatic missions to Rome several Mayan teams would usually come to put on a show for him. It soon came to his attention that Romans in North Columbia had adapted their own version of the sport, and so in 1855 the first Nike Tournament was held for the sport. As the Roman version was mostly played indoors, the tournament occurs throughout the Winter months of December, January and February. The city of Halorium is the only Roman city to have both a Ullapila and Ullamaliztli team, making it the only non-Mayan city that takes part in the Grand Ullamaliztli Competition between the Spring and Winter Equinoxes.

=Cultures=

Roman Culture
The primary imperial culture is the one which evolved from the ancient Latin people and has persisted for the entire existence of the city of Rome. It is the culture most seen by foreigners and most followed by the Empire's citizens. Although it has assimilated traits from countless other cultures, it is the way in which these traits are combined that makes the culture truly Roman. It is this aspect that has distinguished it and made it more than just the sum of its parts.

Furthermore, Roman culture continues to actively influence those other cultures that make up the Empire. Its defining traits are efficiency in its practices and splendor in the art which it creates. Romans are characteristically arrogant about their position in the world, to the point that they view other nationalities as being inferior to themselves. Though this appears to fall deep into the territory of racism, it is actually a belief in the superiority of Roman culture, not the Roman race itself. In fact, Romans are quite happy to bring other races into their Empire, so long as they accept the Roman culture.

Language
The de jure language of Roman culture, and of the Empire, is the Lingua Latina. Stemming from a form of Latin that existed in the years of the early Republic, Modern Latin only first came into its present shape around the end of the Republic and early Imperial years. It has steadily evolved in the two thousand years since but only the spelling of a lot of the words has changed, or words have been added from another language. Despite these slight changes, Latin is the oldest language in the world that is still in use in a form close to its original usage.

Currently over 90% of the Empire's population, or nearly 2 billion people, are all fluent in either Latin or one of its many vulgar forms. Most importantly, every single person of Roman birth, and who is therefore part of the Roman culture, is fully fluent in Latin. It it the language taught in every Roman school, and through which most subjects are taught in, and is the official language of the Roman government and state. Literally no matter what part of the Empire one might find themselves in, they'll hear one group or another conversing in Latin. It is truly one of the most recognized symbols of imperial presence and power, almost as recognizable as the eagle itself.

The Academia Lingua was founded by Emperor Optime in 1221 as a finalization for his academic reforms of the previous 25 years. This body better organized the rules for the Latin language and managed the different vulgar varieties that had been popping up, an event not too dissimilar from early Christianity's methods of wiping out schisms. Not only did this create a more central and organized Lingua Latina, but it allowed for the government to actively improve and maintain the language. New words could be officially created, spelling and pronunciation could be argued and decided upon, and the semantics and definitions inherent to the language could be made more uniform. Due to this organization, Latin is generally considered one of the most functional and aesthetic languages in the world, even amongst members of the non-Roman world. It has therefore become the de facto language for international affairs, particularly in organizations that are in at least one way associated with the Romans.

The Arts
Roman art forms have been in existence nearly as long as the Empire itself, but constant changes in virtually all areas over the years has made most modern Roman art indistinguishable from its originals. Interestingly, several of the Roman art forms, in particular the visual arts, has supplanted regional styles of art in many parts of the Empire. Much like the Lingua Latina, Roman art is one of the most popular in the world, and the city of Parisium, Rome's scientific hub, is widely viewed as a center for the arts and culture in general, taking on a role similar to its OTL counterpart.

Visual Arts
Whilst mosaic art was once the dominant form of Roman artistic expression in the visual arts, its significance gradually died down during the VIIth Century, particularly during the reign of Comptus I. The sleeping giant that is painting then took its hold. Historians usually attribute this shift to the development of perspective techniques by painters of that time period, a technique similar to OTL Renaissance artists like Michelangelo. By the XIth Century, Veritamilis or Realism style of painting became the most popular style in the Empire. It sought to imitate as perfectly as possible the real world, essentially creating an image that looks almost like a photo. This made artistry a highly exclusive business as incredible skill was required just to make it anywhere.

Later, Emperor Optime created the Academia Artificis (Academy of Artists) in Parisium to promote the creation of even greater works of art, and preserve the artistic status quo from attempts to shift things in a different direction, a similar goal as the very same emperor's linguistics academy had. In any case, this organization has fully succeeded in its goal, and even in modern times, any artist with the least bit of respect will only paint in the realist style. Still, this hardly limits the imagination of the artists. Realism stipulates that the art be life-like, not copied from life. Throughout the centuries entirely fictional and fantastical scenes have been depicted, displaying images that would be impossible to see in the real world. Amongst these works of fiction were those of a more biblical kind. In the late-1400's, early-1700's and 1900 to now, art based off of the holy book were the most fashionable to make. Furthermore, since the reign of Sapiens, art depicting scenes of Roman, or Roman influenced, history has been next or most common. Even today, scenes of famous events such as The Battle of Kor'na Yasse or the Assassination of Lucius have been depicted in paint, at the side of depictions in other media.

In talking about Roman art, a passing mention must be made of sculptures. The art of sculpting has followed a very similar path as that of painting, even in having its own version of the Veritamilis style. Whatever the style that was in use, sculptures have almost always been tools of both the government and the church. From the colossal statue of Christ at the sea gates across the Bosporus Straits, to the Colossi that have been erected by virtually every emperor, examples of this style of art are the easiest to come by. Unlike OTL however, old pieces have been continuously upgraded over the years, receiving new coats of paint once one started to fade or go out of style, and even having replicas replace the old ones in public areas just so that they may continue to look nice. In all forms of visual art, aesthetics has always been the primary Roman goal.

Performing Arts
In the realms of music and theater, the Romans can be said to have lagged a little behind the East for most of history. Taking all that they knew about music from the Greeks, the Romans made very simple music often using single melodies at one time, completely foregoing the idea of harmonies. Not even exposure to the Middle East could change this, as the only effect it had was to increase the scale of notation that the Romans used, making it slightly more similar to Western OTL music sheets. The early Christian period, between 300 and 1050 AD featured a great variety in singing, often characterized by the repetition of verses from the Latin Bible. Though there were some examples of singing harmony with instrumentation, it was usually just one or two instruments and the harmonies made were incredibly simple.

Theater as well was very simple throughout the early centuries. It followed the Greek form wherein actors wearing extravagant costumes and masks overacted in order to be certain that everyone watching understood the scene. While this was effective in displaying a play that was generally understood by all, it placed severe limitations on the creativity of both the playwrights, and the actors.

Following the education revolution of the XIIIth Century, there was period known in musical history as Renascie, or the "rebirth" of music and theater. A noted musician, playwright and composer named Aulus Motias Lugius wrote a play called Surgum Augusti (The Rise of Augustus) in 1289, beginning the Renascie movement. The piece was the first to have an elaborate musical score playing in the background throughout, with the music changing to emphasis the mood of the scene. Furthermore, he pioneered the idea that instead of masks and elaborate costumes, characters would each carry or wear one identifying "thing" throughout the entire play, regardless of the situation. Both of these ideas opened up countless avenues for theatrical and musical expression. Due to the success of the play (it was said in 1299 that you could not find an able-bodied Roman who had not seen it) the ideas of Motias quickly caught on among other artists. Nevertheless, it was Motias who did it best, and the works he made throughout his career basically set the standard for which nearly all Roman theater, and even music, would follow for centuries to come.

The music in Motias' plays was unlike any that had ever been composed in the Empire, as it was the first to feature more than 30, even 10, instruments playing together in harmony. This was achieved by replacing the Greek Chorus, a group in front of the stage who explained the scene, with Motias' Orchestrum. In order to increase his repertoire of music during his plays, Motias experimented with different instruments to achieve just the right sound that he wanted. Trying on a whim to play one lute with another, he found a very distinct sound was produced. With this as a starting point, he isolated the concept behind what had happened, a string that is used on a set of strings to produce a sound. He dubbed his invention the Vitula, as he believed it was the pinnacle of stringed instruments. Working with different sizes and string arrays, he perfected several distinctive classes of Vitulae. By the mid-1300's, Vitulae were by far the most popular instrument in the entire Roman Empire, with the idea having spread not only to all its smaller cultures, but even abroad to the Middle East and Asia, where similar instruments were also being designed.

Literature
Given the importance placed on the Latin language, Roman literature had almost continuously been the most exemplary form of writing on the planet. It is therefore that Roman literature itself is distinguished as any piece of writing that is written in the Lingua Latina. This includes medical textbooks, scientific notebooks, historical texts, poetry and of course, written works of fiction.

Roman fiction was usually characterized as offering merely an example of an entertaining instance of a particular type of situation. For example, the novel Deipnosophistae by Athenaeus (231), is about a series of dinner parties at the house of a single patron, Ulpian, where theories on literature, history and ancient traditions and art are discussed in length. Something high-class Romans, even up to the present day, find highly amusing. Other early works of fiction include Parricidhospes (356), about a hilariously inept, yet lucky, murderer; Asineus Aureus (670), a Christian rewrite of the old classic Metamorphoses; Ecce Domine! (694), a heretical retelling of the story of Christ (for which the author was executed) and the classic series of 27 books by Algierus Itineris (1071), about the fantastical journeys of a mid/high-class Roman through places such as Hell, Heaven, an "inescapable" island of tiny people, and other incredible places.

The latter novel is one of the first in a new wave of literary practice, the Ordinis, or book series. Algierus pioneered the idea that instead of creating characters and forgetting about them once the book was done, authors could actually develop an entire world of their own through the creation of several books. Although Itineris is the first and one of the best of its kind, the 1712 classic series Casus is the real apex of the style. It acts like a series of history journals or textbooks that describe a world where after the assassination of Julius Caesar, Cassius manages to kill Marc Anthony and Augustus and take the position of Dictator. This leads to the Fall of the Roman Empire (one of the books) and the emergence of thousands of little barbarian kingdoms. The world created by the author is incredibly detailed, spanning more than 140 novels and 25 supplementary texts and featuring more than 122,000 named characters. It is truly a masterpiece of literature.

Symbols
As the primary culture of the state, the symbols that represent Roman Culture also apply to the Empire itself. Although there are nearly one hundred different things or people which alone could represent the Empire, there is one symbol which practically IS the Roman Empire. This symbol is SPQR. Like YHWH to God, SPQR is the literal description of the Roman Empire, one which has persisted for millennia. It is written on virtually every Roman government document and engraved on every piece of government property and every building in Rome. The phrase has even entered into Roman Law as a formula, a constant in all legal matters. Since the 1100's, people had already begun to refer to it as the "Roman Tetragrammaton", and nowadays it is an almost ubiquitous phrase.

Nevertheless, there are other symbols that are used to represent Rome. For instance, there is the cross and Chi-Rho; both symbols of the Papal office and Christianity. Rome's representative animal, the Eagle, is often shown as a statue or figure atop staffs and flags. In particular, the three-headed eagle represents the power of the Empire that are vested in its three capitals: Constantinopolis, Rome and Carthage. Meanwhile, the two-headed eagle signifies the power of the Emperor in his office as both the heavenly and earthly leader of Rome. The Empire's state flower is of course the Rose. It represents Christianity, the Virgin Mary and patriotism, and implies the giving of ones life for the country. These traits have made the Rose a common symbol for military parades, Christian festivals and any situation where a flower might be involved in a government activity. An example of this is the offering of 3 tons of live roses by the emperor to the Khmer in the XVth century to honor their new alliance.

Several other symbols of Rome are: the Lingua Latina; the novel Itineris, for its representation of Roman importance; a male profile view made of stone, particularly as it relates to the emperors; a deep color of Red, known by most as Roman Red; thermae, or the idea of public bathing in general; and the Gladius, which still serves several symbolic functions in the Roman military up to the modern day. An exhaustive list of all the other symbols that are valued by the Romans would be impossible as their number is far too great. All that needs to be said is that representations of the Roman Empire are the most universally recognizable symbols in the world. If something or someone is Roman, you'll know quickly enough.

Hellenistic Culture
Hellenistic or Greek culture is considered to be the secondary culture of the Roman Empire. The wide area over which Alexander's Macedonian Empire was spread became what was once known as the Hellenic World. Though the Hellenization of those lands made their conquest by Rome that much easier, it has also ensured that a certain modicum of their non-Roman customs has remained. The Greeks were and are greatly respected by the Romans, and many scholars, anthropologists and bureaucrats have put in a great deal of effort into preserving their ways amongst the Empire's Provinces. Colonization brought Greek culture to the farthest corners of the Earth, from South-East Africa to Australis, spurring the formation of Greek enclaves in surprisingly remote parts of the world. Nevertheless, Hellenic culture is just as much influenced by the Romans as other imperial cultures are; certainly showing signs of this in its similar musical, theatrical and literary trends.

Language
The central aspect of all things Greek is of course the Greek language itself (Lingua Graeca). Its use is what makes a particular piece of music, theater, film, literature or other media Greek. It is also the means by which nearly all aspects of Greek culture are spread. Even so, the language become integrated into the haut-couture of the Imperial popular culture. The ability to speak it is often considered an indicator of civility in non-Greek locales; bringing respect to the speaker. Therefore, nearly 40% of imperial residents have at least a partial grasp on the language, whilst fluency and good rhetoric skills in Greek is far less common.

Much like the Latin Language Academy founded by Emperor Magnus II, the Academia Lingua Graeciarum (Linguistic Academy of the Greeks) was created by decree of the Greek Consul in 1374 at the insistence of the Emperor Alexander I (who was half-Greek). The Academia went on to manage the development of the Greek language in order to bring it up to date with the modern lexicon. This necessitated the addition of words for things like a "battery" or a "generator". It also worked in concert with the central Latin Academy to handle the increasing use of Graecina; a combination of Latin and Greek used frequently by upper-class youth.

Location with especially high densities of Greek speakers are: the Greek and Anatolian provinces, the Tegesta Peninsula, the east coast of India, Western Australia and the southern Caribbean islands. Despite the high number of speakers of their language, merely 6% of the Empire's inhabitants have a purely Greek, and come from a mostly Greek family. An additional 4% of people classify themselves as partly Greek. Amazingly, 11% of Romans have learned Greek as their first language, meaning they learned Greek growing up in their household rather than Latin. With all of this in mind it is not difficult to see why Greek is considered to be a secondary language to Latin, especially in the eyes of foreigners. As a Mayan comedian once said, "Its all Greek to me".