Roman (Terra Cognita)

Romans (Romanian: Romana) are a Latinic ethnic group and nation inhabiting the Roman Republic, or Romania. Historically, the heritage of the Roman people is an amalgamation of Latinic, Celtic, Hellenic and Germanic origin. Approximately 90 percent of Romanian speakers reside in Romania while the remainder are distributed around the world. Romanian-speaking groups are found in neighboring states, including significantly - Loundres in Cambria, Athens in Morea, Sicily, and Constantinople, Grecia. Globally Romans can be found in Goa, Bakitara, Meshico, Tenacoma, and Sina.

Romans have greatly influenced and contributed to diverse fields, notably the arts and music, science and technology, fashion, cinema, cuisine, sports, jurisprudence, banking and business. Supposedly, according to studies provided by Finnish political scientist Tatu Vanhanen and Cambrian Psychologist Rhisiard Lenna and by the World Population View, the Romanians have the 6th highest IQ rating worldwide (102), ranking highest in Europe (globally the top 11 being: Sina, Korea, Japan, Mongolia, Bakitara, Romania, Vinland, Cambria, Francia, Persia, and Ganonsia).

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Overview
The culture of the Romans is rooted in the Classical Era and the Age of Exploration, two defining moments in Roman development.

The distinctive Roman phrase 'Dulche Fàcere Núlha' (The Sweetness of Doing Nothing), gives an idea of how Roman culture values enjoying the moment and centers on the simple and beautiful pleasures in life.

Romans have developed a balance between innovation and tradition, and between work and leisure, and they are often perceived as a cheerful and passionate people yet as a dichotomy they are perceived as industrious and thinking.

Values

The key components that make up Roman values are described thus: structure, industriousness, family, religion, trust, respect, tradition, education, openness, and pleasure.

Family

For Romans, the family is important, and family gatherings are a central part. Family members share important news, gossip, and food during these weekly or monthly reunions. They're usually celebrated at the biggest house of the family. Family is an extremely important value within Roman culture and homes are traditionally fairly expanded and connected for their duration. Seniors are an important part of Roman families, and the older members hold a place of power and respect. The grandmother's are regarded as family matriarchs, and younger members often seek advice from them. It is uncommon among Roman's to place elders in nursing homes or any related institution.

Roman gastronomy is popular worldwide. Pàsta and pítsa are among the best-known. Coffee, ice cream, and desserts are an important part of everyday life. Wine, beer, and mulsum are widely popular and Romania remains known, particularly for its wine and beer production.

Education

Education is considered extremely paramount to Romans and educators and students hold a high place of honor. It is generally expected that a student will continue on to a university once primary school is completed. It is often considered disrespectful to one's family if a further education is not sought after, even at the lowest level. Romans subsequently have high university populations, leading to issues of overcrowding and potential stress from expectations.

Religion and Tradition

Romans are considered to be quote religious, often more so than many other developed peoples.

Romans are mostly Hellenes and their culture has been greatly influenced by religion. Attending the temple every week is a tradition for most devout families, as well as praying to the Helios and the many gods. The daily prayer cycle (three prayers a day, the morning, evening, and afternoon prayer) remains largely in place, even among younger generations who may not adhere strictly to Hellene traditions. Religious processions that parade a figure of the local god around town are common.

Romania is officially a secular state. However, its religious and social landscape is deeply influenced by the Hellene tradition. The importance of religious activity has declined in the modern century, especially among Roman youth. Even so, Romania is considered a fairly religious country by most developed countries standards.

Industriousness and Structure

Romans place a high emphasis on working energetically and devotedly for oneself and for your family, reputation, and community. There is a Roman belief that pleasure should dictate part of the soul and hard-work the other part. Having things in order, organized, and predictable, puts an emphasis on structure for Romans. It is in this light that punctuality is not paramount, yet trains run on time and Romans have among the best road and transit systems globally. Romans emphasize free time yet highly regard work and the quality of work.

Respect

Roman culture places much importance on an individual’s reputation or honour. It is perceived to reflect their family and upbringing, and is essentially a way of opening up opportunities. In Romania, a person’s honour is defined by the impression they leave on others, known as 'La Bella Figúra' (the Good Image). La bella figúra describes the art of making a good impression. It not only refers to a person’s physical appearance, but the aura they project in the way they hold themselves. It should be reflected in everything they do, from what they say to how they act.

The cultural emphasis on making a good impression may be seen as superficial, but that’s not necessarily the case. For example, it often relates to maintaining one’s grace and dignity despite modest circumstances. Furthermore, considering a good reputation involves social approval, the ability to accommodate different points of view and appease people with diverse interests is thought to be one of the biggest virtues. Someone with   la bella figúra is thought to have confidence, style, an elegant demeanour and engaging social skills. In this way, la bella figúra has almost become an expression of the Roman character.

In accordance to the attention paid to one’s reputation, there is a cultural emphasis on one’s personal presentation in appearance and action. Romans typically take care to ensure their attire appropriately suits the occasion. For those with the means, this involves wearing fashionable clothes and displaying lavish belongings. Those without the means tend to dress less distinctively, but maintain a neat and sophisticated decorum. Romans’ personal presentation is often noticed by foreigners, who remark on their grace and charm. Romania is a major center of global fashion. Even people in small towns spend a great deal of money on their wardrobes and dress well at all times. Old, torn, dirty clothing are seldom seen and not appreciated.

This is mildly toned down north of the Alps, principally in northern Raetia Prefecture; presentation and reputation are valuable here as well, albeit with what Romans call a "rugged charm" and more "earthy air".

As Roman culture has a deep focus on relationships, socialisation is important on both a formal and informal level. Public spaces play a large role in this. For example, plàtas (public squares) provide a place for Romans to mingle without having to necessarily plan an occasion. There is also a popular tradition of taking a gentle stroll through the town in the late afternoon/early evening, usually on a Sunday. This is an opportunity to see the public, catch up with friends and hear the latest news. Informal social events such as these reinforce a sense of community belonging. Older people may sit at cafes on popular streets and watch or wait to be spoken to by those passing. Indeed outdoor dining is popular as it allows people to enjoy their meal in a social setting and observe the public without being the centre of attention.

Modesty is not overtly strict in Roman culture and has a time-and-place. Temples or business/work settings are generally areas where modest attire is expected. Elsewhere cultural rules are more lax. Female and male toplessness has long been officially legalized throughout the country. It is considered that the exposure of the nude male or female breast is considered a "commonly accepted behavior", and therefore, has "entered into the social costume". This overall legalization, formerly legally restricted to beaches, parks, and pools, was broadened completely in March 2721. This came about as a move to legally guarantee breast-feeding regardless of location - an act that had long been an accepted norm yet was legally restricted to the aforementioned areas, now universally legal. Even since legalization, male and female toplessness remains unusual outside of beaches, parks, and pools or for breast feeding. Nudity remains restricted to certain beaches, parks, and pools, though the number is not small.

As far as being either being more of a collectivist or an individualist culture, Romans sway more towards being an individualistic culture. Roman culture is ”me” centered, especially in the big cities. For Romans having their own personal ideas and objectives in life is very motivating and the route to happiness is through personal fulfillment. This contrasts with the interconnections of Roman family and friend life, that of the community, and the corporatist philosophy of their country, seeing society as a corpus, or single body. This contradiction can cause friction in some cultural aspects.

Athleticism is highly valued and an emphasis is placed on fitness and physique. One is expected to maintain their body and what Romans consider laziness might lead to negative reputation. This can lead to notions of superficial body image.

Trust

Romans place a high value on trust. Romans value knowing, having things in order and organized is how Romans like it to be. Although it comes off that Romans tend to “rebel” and do not necessarily always listen to their own rules or norms that are in place, they at least know they’re still there and like it to be so. Protests in Romania, for example, have had a long reputation of being stable and predictable, clean after their finished, and without any damage done. Romans have an inherent distrust of people in authority. Authority figures are looked at as figures that deserve and should get a greater amount of respect, but they don’t necessarily receive it. To gain trust, one has to work for it. Being overly nice and showing proper manners are a couple ways that someone can win some respect. Romans tends to prefer equality and a decentralization of power and decision-making. This could be a reflection of why they don’t necessarily respect authority figures. They want the power to be at least somewhat distributed in to their own hands. Romans like to focus more on working in a group and having a sense of teamwork.

Pleasure

The phrase 'dulche fàcere núlha' reflects Roman ideas of pleasure. Romans are known to linger over a bowl of pasta or cup of espresso. And when they’re out shopping, most Romans will continue to examine an object intently even after it’s been purchased, as though they have nothing better to do with their day. Punctuality is not mandatory. It is acceptable to arrive 15 to 30 minutes after the designated time. And yet Romans are not wont to waste time, being considered an industrious people. Roman culture is one in which people may prefer to do multiple tasks as the same time. Rather than watching the clock all of the time and always having a place to be, they focus on the relationships being built and the people they’re with. A high preference for high quality food as a pleasure of life has led to a very strict regulation of consumables in Romania. Food purity, or snobbery, is considered important in Roman culture. Romance and sex are likewise considered of the upmost importance and are areas that time and focus should be spent on in order to maximize. Festivals and holidays hold a place of high importance, as do sports and sporting events - all seen as essential aspects of life's pleasures.

Ripusá is a significant aspect or Roman dedication to pleasure. Many museums, temples, and shops close during midday (from 12:00–1:30 pm to 2:30–4:00 pm) so that proprietors can go home for lunch and a nap

Gender Roles

Roman women are encouraged to be independent and bold from a young age. They are renowned for their confidence, although personal qualities vary on an individual basis. However, Roman culture continues to carry some sexist undertones. Stereotypes that depict women as objects of beauty are quite popular in Romania, and wolf whistling is common. While men and women have equal rights in law, society is still largely male-dominated.

Within the family dynamic, the man is usually the patriarch and considered the primary income earner. Traditionally, a woman was expected to fulfill roles of matrimony and motherhood. Today, most Roman women receive a high level of education and work to contribute to the household income; however, they are still expected to be responsible for the majority of the household duties. Gender roles may vary between socioeconomic classes as well as between rural and urban areas. For example, those from urban areas or belonging to upper classes are more likely to share responsibilities. It is also becoming more common for women to choose alternate paths, such as career paths, and there has been a decrease in fertility rates for several decades now.

Communication and Openness

Roman greetings are usually warm and rather formal. The common greeting is a handshake with direct eye contact and a smile. If the greeting is between a man and a woman, the woman generally extends her hand first. It is common to give air kisses on both cheeks (starting with your left) when greeting those you know well. Addressing a person by their title and last name until familiar with said person is common.

Romans are typically direct communicators. They tend to be open about their emotions and speak clearly about their point. They generally expect similar honesty from their conversation partner and hence may fail to read into understatements. They avoid ambiguity and indirect speech. Romans are generally quite open, inquisitive and bold. You may find that they are eager to give their opinions or advice on your activity. Foreigners can find this judgemental or nosey. Romans, in preference for their openness, are not wont to excessive verbalizing as they speak directly and to accompany this is laconic wit, with a reputation for mild verbal austerity and with blunt remarks. Conversation comes easy however, and though not excessive talkers, Romans are able conversationalists. Romans tend to not be overtly loud (as the Grecians are stereotyped) but are not reserved either (as Franks are stereotyped).

Romans often enjoy joking throughout conversation to lighten the mood. Having humour in one’s voice can allow people to speak their mind quite openly. Be aware that their humour can be quite cynical, making fun of sensitive topics. They can also be quite self-deprecating, ironic and sarcastic. Expect them to mock one another and slip sarcasm or double meanings into any topic of conversation. Romans generally keep a close proximity to one another, sometimes standing less than a metre away from the person they are talking to. While this distinction is not always noticeable, they may think you are avoiding them if you move farther away from what they consider to be normal. Romans are generally tactile people and quite affectionate. It is common to see hugging, kissing, back slapping and hand holding in public. People may touch their conversation partner to show their engagement in the discussion – for example, nudging them or touching their arm when pointing something out. Friends may also walk arm-in-arm in public.

People may acknowledge the cleverness of another person by pulling down the bottom eyelid with a finger. People can gesture “no” by jerking their head upwards –- be aware this can look similar to a nod. Romans start counting with their thumb instead of their index finger. The thumb represents 1, and so on.

Roman Etiquette
 * It is common for Roman friends and families to kiss on the cheek when they meet, irrespective of their gender.
 * Standing up out of respect when an older person enters the room.
 * Important to dress neatly and respectfully.
 * Hats removed indoors.
 * It is impolite to remove one’s shoes in front of others..
 * Open doors for the elderly. Men often open doors for women.

Stereotypes
 * It is common to visit friends, especially on Sundays and holidays.
 * Romans from villages may visit each other unannounced; however in the cities, people plan most social engagements to fit within schedules.
 * Punctuality is not mandatory. It is acceptable to arrive 15 to 30 minutes after the designated time.
 * Typically, elders enter a room first.
 * It is common for men to stand when a woman first enters a room. This is the same for children when an adult first enters a room.
 * Romans typically pray and give thanks to the gods before eating a meal.
 * Some meals on special occasions can take hours to finish as conversation continues.
 * Resting one’s elbows on the table is also considered to be poor manners.
 * Drinking beverages other than water or wine with a meal is quite uncommon.
 * Traditionally, Italians eat lunch together as a family. However, this is not always practised in the fast-paced environment of the modern day.
 * Romans avoid giving knives or scissors as gifts. These are considered bad luck.
 * For Romans, giving flowers is very specific: chrysanthemums symbolise death and are used at funerals. Yellow flowers can indicate jealousy whilst red flowers may indicate love, passion or secrecy.

Stereotypes are generalisations and they tend to present reality in a very rigid way. They often overlook the multifaceted face of reality in preference for simplicity. Even so, they often originate from somewhere and indeed reveal an important psychology in a culture’s understanding of themselves and the world.

Stereotypes of Romans tend to follow a certain pattern, be they internal or external stereotypes. They tend to be positively that Romans are: direct speakers, honest, hard-workers, diligent, organized, reliable, courteous, relaxed, religious, pious, disciplined, intensely patriotic, proud, inventive, strong family ties, celebratory, athletic, educated, stoic.

And negatively that Romans are: arrogant, gossipy, nosy, superstitious, perfectionists, aggressive, militaristic, mildly racist, nationalistic, overbearing, distracted, manner heavy, libertine youths, honor-bound, superficial, workaholics half the time and layabouts the other half (akin to distracted and rooted in the Ripusà).

Roman views can also be revealed in the two groups that Romans consider their chief rivals and subsequently, in their eyes, their opposites – the Grecians and Persians. In opposition to how Romans see themselves, they see Grecians as being overly emotional and boisterous, money hungry, politically frail, bad warriors, bickering embezzlers, loud and noisy, greedy, untrustworthy, duplicitous smooth talkers, and lazy. The Romans consider themselves the opposite of their stereotyped views of Persians as well, who they view as: despots, slavish, greedy, untrustworthy and manipulative, and exotically licentious and sensualists.

Romans are subject to physical stereotypes, the plethora of which that are contemporary can be traced as historically held views with longevity. The stereotype of auburn or sandy hair, aquiline nose (co-dubbed the ‘Roman Nose’), mild complexions, tall height. Promoted by the Romans themselves as well as those abroad as seen in Roman art and that of other nations: Post-Classical descriptions from Francia of Romans typically explain their southern neighbors as being a middle example between themselves and the Grecians, with the Franks being golden and light, the Greeks being swarthy and dark, and the Romans being the in-between. Grecians similarly explained the Romans in this way – and suggested that they are one small step from being barbarians, the Romans being physically more akin to the depraved and pale northerners than to the Grecians.

Romania displays an array of skin tones and hair color in truth, with brown, green, and blue eyes widespread, light eye colors (blue, grey, light green) are an average of 35 to 45 percent in Romania; as well hair ranges black, brown, and blonde various shades thereof – blonde hair is an average of 15 to 30 percent in Romania. Skin tones similarly range from olive to light, broadly placed. The average height for men is 5' 9" and for women 5' 6".

Language
The language of the Romans, Romanian, is a Latinic language of the Indo-European language family. Romanian descended from the Vulgar Latin of the Roman Empire. The standard which modern Romanian derives from was adopted by the Imperial administration in the latter part of the early Third Era. Standardized and promoted by Augustus Torgodoriu in the Carta Vulgare in AUC 1823, the language was dubbed Romanian in a clear understanding of its departure from Latin. The broad homogeneity of Romanian across Romania is attributed to a number of factors: Torgodoriu’s standardization and promotion on an Imperial scale, the quality of Roman infrastructure and communication. from the Classical Era onward, the myriad education reforms taken by successive emperors (it is estimated that Torgodoriu’s education reforms culminated in a 40 percent literacy rate in the Romanian populace by the time of the death of his successor – one of the highest in the world at the time). Romania’s development was also influenced, to some minor extent, by the Germanic languages of the Late Classical Era invaders.

Sport
Sport in Romania has a long tradition, with activities such as chariot races, gladiatorial fights, athletics, and harpastum (the predecessor to Calcio) being prominent in daily Classical Era Roman life. Athletes are held in very high esteem by Romans and the country has been described as 'sports obsessed', culminating in a billion dollar industry and constant media attention. Emperor Nicomachus Flavianus is credited with reviving the Olympic Games after their being banned in the Eastern Roman Empire by Greek Emperor Theodosios, giving them a home in Medilan instead.

The predecessor of modern calcio, a sport largely unique to Romania and the most popular in the country, evolved principally in the Post-Classical Era. Other significant sports to evolve during the Post-Classical Era are horse-racing and, growing from various combat-oriented competitions, argladia.

Football and calcio are the most popular sports in Romania and the nation is regularly among the top in the world in the former. Stickball, particularly women’s, and cycling are the next two most popular sports in Romania, ranking collectively as the top four in the Romania. The other most popular sports, which Romania has strong traditions in, are tennis, argladia, athletics (particularly discus, pole-vaulting and sprinting), gymnastics, wrestling, equestrian, shooting, tennis, boxing, auto racing, and alpine skiing.Some domestic sports leagues inside Romania garner widespread global attention, principally the football league La Lega. International footballers are additionally drawn to the country to participate in this league. The women's stickball league is another prominent example of this situation, with widespread global viewership.

Olympics
Romania is the leading nation in total number of medals at the Olympics with 2,132, sitting at number one among the top ten nations, followed in order by Sina, Cambria, Persia, Bakitara, Francia, Oyo, Gepidia, Japan, and Ganonsia. Romania additionally has the most gold medals at 799, followed by Sina, Cambria, Bakitara, and Persia. For silver the Romans have 670 and for bronze 663.

Romania sits on top of the overall medal list and the gold medal list in the sports of argladia, cycling, boxing, shooting, and gymnastics.

The most gold medals held by any individual Roman is in the sport argladia, with Valentina Vessali, nicknamed La Colubra (the Cobra) and Eduardu Mandicàrittu being the top medal holder in Romania among women and among men respectively.

Romania's history in the Olympic games stretches back to the early Classical Era, with the expansion of the games attention beyond the Hellenic world. Roman emperors Nero and Tiberius are notable Olympic participants, both athletes in the chariot-racing events. In AUC 839, Domitian founded the Capitolian games, the first permanent Hellenic style games in Rome. Thus, Rome received a prominent place on the Greek sport circuit, although the Hellenic games in the capital kept a local flavor, e.g., Roman horse races and competitions in Greek and Latin recitation. The international athletic guild also moved to Rome to enjoy the imperial privileges fully. Already in AUC 568, Romans could take part in the Isthmian games. The Post Classical Era Olympic games remained in Milan and drew participants from across Romania as well as western Europe and the Mediterranean, though the participation was heavily Roman and cannot be compared to the internationalism of today.

The modern Olympics were started in AUC 2603 by Gwilhem Gover, a Cambrian educationalist who initiated a plan first drawn up in 2549 in Romania. The idea Gwilhem gave life to was to internationalize the Olympic games. Heretofore the games had been a Roman event, drawing athletes from across Romania as well as a few participants from surrounding countries, notably Morea, Wallachia, Cambria, and Hibernia. The internationalization gave the games a country vs. country flare that they have continued with to this day.

The official medal count was initiated in those first Olympic games and the event was held in Athens, in homage to the pre-Roman Olympics, as a way of initiating the new, post-Roman era of the Olympic games.

Calcio
Calcio, the most popularly followed sport in Romania, is unique to the Romans. It has adherents and participants in neighboring Cambria, Francia, and Dalmatia, as well as Hibernia, Congo, Bakitara, and a number of other spots globally. The domestic leagues abroad are, however, minimally followed and most international players end up playing in Romania. The remote ancestry of calcio has been linked to a Roman game known as harpastum, which spread throughout their Empire. Athenaeus writes: "Harpastum, which used to be called Phaininda, is the game I like most of all. Great are the exertion and fatigue attendant upon contests of ball-playing, and violent twisting and turning of the neck. Hence Antiphanes, "Damn it, what a pain in the neck I've got." He describes the game thus: "He seized the ball and passed it to a team-mate while dodging another and laughing. He pushed it out of the way of another. Another fellow player he raised to his feet. All the while the crowd resounded with shouts of Out of bounds, Too far, Right beside him, Over his head, On the ground, Up in the air, Too short, Pass it back in the scrum." Galen, in On Exercise with the Small Ball, describes Harpastum as: "better than wrestling or running because it exercises every part of the body, takes up little time, and costs nothing." It was "profitable training in strategy", and could be "played with varying degrees of strenuousness." Galen adds, "When, for example, people face each other, vigorously attempting to prevent each other from taking the space between, this exercise is a very heavy, vigorous one, involving much use of the hold by the neck, and many wrestling holds."



A high degree of pageantry follows the calcio season in Romania, with notable singers vying for the chance to perform before the major games.

Matches last 60 minutes and are played on a field covered in sand, twice as long as it is wide (approximately 80x40 meters). A white line divides the field into two identical squares, and a goal net runs the width of each end.

Each team has 27 players and no substitutions are allowed for injured or expelled players. The teams are made up of four goalkeepers, three fullbacks, five halfbacks, and 15 forwards. The Captain and Standard Bearer's tent sits at the center of the goal net. They do not actively participate in the game, but can organize their teams and occasionally act as referees, mainly to calm down their players or to stop fights.

The referee and the six linesmen officiate the match in collaboration with the Judge Commissioner, who remains off the field. The referee, above everyone else, is the Master of the Field, and is responsible for making sure the game runs smoothly, stepping into the field only to maintain discipline and reestablish order when fights occur.

A small cannon shot announces the beginning of the event. The game starts when the ball is thrown toward the center line, then at the first whistle as the ball first rests on field, 15 forwards begin fighting in a wild match - wrestling, kicking, tripping, hacking, and tackling with each other in an effort designed to tire opponents' defenses, but which often descends into an all-out brawl. They try to pin and force into submission as many players possible. Once there are enough incapacitated players, the other teammates come and swoop up the ball and head to the goal. From this moment on, the players try by any means necessary to get the ball into the opponents' goal. The teams change sides with every goal scored. It is important to shoot with precision, because every time a player throws or kicks the ball above the net, the opposing team is awarded with a half point. The game ends after 60 minutes and the team which scored the most goals wins.

Football
Football is a close second to calcio for the status of most popular sport in Romania. Both the men and women's national teams are highly supported and successful. The men's national team have won four World Cups while the women have obtained one, placing both among the top in the world.

The domestic league, La Lega, is ranked second globally and subsequently attracts immense attention within Romania as well as globally.

Athletics
Organized athletics are traced back to the Ancient Olympic Games from AUC -22. The rules and format of the modern events in athletics were defined in Western Europe, Eastern Libia, and Northern Hesperia in the AUC 2650s, and were then spread to other parts of the world.Romans have frequently set world standards in various disciplines of track and field for both male and female athletes. Track and Field have a prominent place for Roman athletes and have been continuously practicing since the Classical Era. Track and field events spread to Rome around AUC 554 from Greece. After the period of Classical Era (in which the sport was largely Greco-Roman influenced) new track and field events began developing in parts of Northern Europe in the Post-Classical Era. The stone put and weight throw competitions popular among Celtic societies in Hibernia and Cambria were precursors to the modern shot put and hammer throw events. One of the last track and field events to develop was the pole vault, which stemmed from competitions in the Northern European Lowlands. All of these events seeped southwards into Romania and were incorporated into their domestic sporting events, which continued to be featured prominently during the Post-Classical Era.

The athletics meeting forms the backbone of the Olympics and holds a special place in Romania. The reputation is amplified by the antiquity of it and it is considered that while calcio is the 'national sport', athletics are the 'historic sport' of Romania. Running was a favorite activity in Classical Era Rome; boys competed in footraces with one another on the Campus Martius, which provided an ideal location for this activity.

Road-running and cross-country running are popular sports among the Roman population at large and several marathons take place across the country throughout the year. A turning point occurred in Roman track sports in the running boom of the 2720s. This boom saw a large participatory expansion in competitive road running and in jogging for recreation and fitness. Many shoe and apparel manufacturers grew and formed to accommodate the demand. The boom has not shown any signs of slowing over the past forty years and has instead shown signs of increase over the past decade.

Javelin, sprint, pole-vault, and discus are all arenas that the Romans tend to rank among the top in during the Olympic games. Romania's principal competition for gold in athletics include the nations of Cambria, Finland, Bakitara, and Asante. The sport has garnered a considerable reputation for the camaraderie among nations, standing apart from the intense and sometimes violent international rivalries that accompany football and the war of words that seems to follow gymnastics.

The Nametis Marathon is the world's oldest annual marathon and ranks as one of the world's best-known road racing events. Inspired by the athletic events of the Olympic games, the city of Nametis organized the event in 2636. It is one of six World Marathon Majors (with two others being in Romania as well - Padova and Rome. The remaining three are located in Loundres, Cambria in Hoima, Bakitara, and in Tokyo, Japan) and attracts runners from across the globe.

Gymnastics
Gymnastics is an immensely popular sport in Romania. The women's teams in particular have collected a string of medals throughout the history of the Olympics and garner considerable media attention. The celebration of the Roman team is due to their ranking among the best squads in the world, facing competition against the top nations Persia Japan, Sina, Wendland, and Wallachia.

It estimated that a competitive gymnast's chances of making the elite level in Romania are one to five porcent. To qualify to elite status, there are various criteria to separate the elite-worthy gymnasts from the elite trialist who may not be ready for elite status at that particular time.

Gymnastics developed in ancient Greece, in Sparta and Athens, and was used as a method to prepare men for warfare. In Sparta, among the activities introduced into the training program was the Agoge or exhibition gymnastics made up of gymnastic elements in the form of the Pyrrhic-a dance in a military style-performed for state dignitaries in the final year of a student's training. By 2707 the modern form of gymnastics had taken place at the Olympic Games. At this time, Roman gymnasts astounded the world with highly disciplined and difficult performances, setting a precedent that continues.Television has helped publicize and initiate a modern age of gymnastics. Both men's and women's gymnastics now attract considerable international interest, with the Olympic sport among the most viewed in Romania. The degree of national pride hoisted upon the sport has been compared to Football and Athletics, giving rise to politically charged competition with Persia in particular. This atmosphere led to a racial comment against both Persian and Libian competitors by Roman gymnast Maxima Feruletu resulting in an international scandal which resulted in a formal apology by the governing gymnastics body of Romania, the Romanian Gymnastics Federation, as well as gymnast Maxima Feruletu. The conflict within gymnastics has been likened to international football and the phenomenon is largely unexplained as to why these two sports herald such behavior. There has been an surge in anti-racist campaigns in the sport of gymnastics as a result, along with an internal review by the Romanian Gymnastics Federation as to causes and preventative measures.

Roman men's gymnast Romeu Neru has been called the father of gymnastics in Romania and abroad. He won three gold medals at the 2685 Olympics, becoming, along with Elina Madron of Cambria, the most successful athlete at that years Olympics. He previously won a silver medal at the 2681 Olympics. In 2687 he won a silver medal and a bronze medal at the world championships.

Equestrian
Chariot racing was one of the most popular Persian, Greek, and Roman. Chariot racing was dangerous to both drivers and horses as they often suffered serious injury and even death. In the Roman form of chariot racing, teams represented different groups of financial backers and sometimes competed for the services of particularly skilled drivers. As in modern sports like football, spectators generally chose to support a single team, identifying themselves strongly with its fortunes, and violence sometimes broke out between rival factions. The rivalries were sometimes politicized, when teams became associated with competing social or religious ideas. This helps explain why Roman emperors took control of the teams and appointed many officials to oversee them.

The sport faded in importance in the course of the fifteenth century, with the losses the Empire suffered at the hands of the Arabs and continued conflict with the Greeks, as well as the decline of the population and economy. The Blues and Greens, deprived of any political power, were relegated to a purely ceremonial role. Individual horse racing came into prominence in the 1900s and gradually supplanted chariot racing, giving rise to a sport that evolved and continues to this day.

The Olympic disciplines of horse racing, show jumping, and equestrian vaulting are highly followed sports today in Romania, garnering national prestige. Historically, Romania has been one of the leading European horse racing nations, albeit now some respects behind Cambria and Hibernia over the past decade.

Show jumping, along with racing, are the two most prominent among Romans. Though still broadly dominated by Cambria and Hibernia, as is racing, the sport of Show Jumping sees plentiful media attention and is the focal point of substantial investment in Romania.

Equestrian vaulting is believed by some to have origins traced to the ancient Roman games, where acrobats usually displayed their skills on cantering horses. Others, however, believe that vaulting originated in ancient Crete, where bull-leaping was prevalent. In either case, people have been performing acrobatic and dance-like movements on (or over) the backs of moving horses/animals for more than 2,000 years. Not as prominent an equestrian sport as racing, vaulting still garners attention in Romania.

Boxing
Boxing was a popular spectator sport in Ancient Rome. In order for the fighters to protect themselves against their opponents they wrapped leather thongs around their fists. Eventually harder leather was used and the thong soon became a weapon. The Romans even introduced metal studs to the thongs to make the cestus. Fighting events were held at Roman Amphitheatres. The Roman form of boxing was often a fight until death to please the spectators who gathered at such events. However, especially in later times, purchased slaves and trained combat performers were valuable commodities, and their lives were not given up without due consideration.

Modern boxing remains a highly popular sport in Romania and garners ample television audiences. Events pitting Roman boxers against Persian are particularly popular as the sport has a large following in both countries and each view the other as their principal rival.

Argladia
Romans of the Classical Era who frequented the gymnasia and baths often mock-battled with a stick whose point was covered with a ball. Vegetius, the Late Roman military writer, described practicing against a post and fighting with other soldiers. Vegetius describes how the Romans preferred the thrust over the cut, because puncture wounds enter the vital organs directly whereas cuts are often stopped by armour and bone. Raising the arm to deliver a cut exposes the side to a thrust. This doctrine was exploited by Roman argladia masters in the late 2200s and became the primary rationale behind both the Roman and Cambrian schools of argladia. In the late Post-Classical Era sword fighting teachers were paid by rich patrons to produce books about their fighting systems, called treatises. Sword fighting schools began to blossom across Romania, likely spawned from these books and students thereof. From 2150 onward, an increasing number of sword fighting treatises survived from across Europe, with the majority coming from Romania and Francia. In this period these arts were largely reserved for the óldine equestre (Equestrian Order, or Knights) and the wealthy. AUC 2240 witnessed the first Fencing Guild in Romania and the groundwork of the sport that exists today.

Argladia is among the most popular sports for participants in Romania. The sport remains Romania's number on event in terms of Olympic medals accumulated and the country far exceeds others in the sport.

Category




Ethnogenesis
Due to demographic shifts throughout history, as well as Romania’s ethnic diversity since ancient times, the modern Romans are not a genetically homogeneous population. This makeup includes pre-Indo-European language people, such as the Etruscans, Rhaetians, Camuni, Ligures, Vasconics, and pre-Roman Indo-European language peoples, including the Celts, the Italic peoples (such as the Latino-Faliscans, the Osco-Umbrians, the Sicels and the Veneti), Germanic people, and a significant number of Hellenic people. The majority of Romanians originate from these two primary elements and share a common Latin heritage and history.

The Romans — who according to legend originally consisted of three ancient tribes: Latins, Sabines and Etruscans—would go on to conquer the whole Italian peninsula and expand far beyond. Hundreds of cities and colonies were established throughout Italia. Initially many of these cities were colonized by Latins, but later also included colonists belonging to the other Italic tribes who had become Latinized and joined to Rome. Population movement and exchange among people from different regions was not uncommon during the Roman period.

A large Germanic movement into Romania occurred in the AUC 1200s, with of Heruli, Turcilingi and Rugians settling in Italia; Alemanni, including 30,000 warriors with their families, settled in the Po Valley in 1124; Burgundians settled in the western portion of the Alps and beyond; Goths settled along river valleys in Aquitania and Hispania, and Alemanni further settled along both banks of the Rhine. Some Venetic incursions and settlements occurred along what is now the eastern border of Romania, along the alpine valleys found there. In addition to the Germanic and Venetic settlers there were Alans from the east who settled along Aquitania and central Hispania and Cambrian refugees from the north who took refuge and settled in northern Hispania and Aquitania. The last major wave of outside migration came with Viking settlers from Scandia, populating areas along the Atlantic coast of Romania. The Yellow Plague (1289-1295) played a significant role in modern Romania ethnogenesis. DNA studies have revealed a leveling of the genetic landscape after the Yellow Plague, witnessing a pre-plague population diversity from Italia to Hispania and Italia to the Silva Marciana. This diversity tanks downwards after the Plague and results in a genetic landscape in Romania today that is far more broadly homogenous, with the genetic map looking like what might have been confined to central and northern Italia, now spread across the entire country. Pre-plague DNA samples suggest a population more rooted in the Gaulish, Vasconic, Germanic, and Hispanic past with moderate Roman, or Italic, contribution. This contrasts to current samples across Romania, which resemble the opposite – a significant Italic contribution with more minor of the others. This is broadly contributed to a few factors: the Yellow Plague’s decimation, the relatively plague free situation of Italia at that time, and the warfare that ran parallel during the re-conquest of the west. This resulted in a peopling of the depopulated reconquered Roman Empire with settlers from Italia en masse. Additionally, pre-plague colonization was enacted in force by Romulus Augustus, continued by Probus Orestes, and continued further by Vitalius. Probus Orestes additionally stands out in his colonial-quarantine, which saw a degree of success in the quarantine of not only Italia, but of the new colonial and re-colonized settlements of Italians while neglecting the remainder of the populace in the reconquered west. Orestes’ act is considered by many modern historians as a deliberate attempt at genocide.

Some modern scholarship has suggested a furthering of the above scenario with the much later Black Plague and events afterwards. For reasons largely unknown, northern Italia and parts of central Italia, in particular Milan, remained largely unscathed compared to the rest of Europe and Asia. The Yellow Plague quarantine is well documented but as of yet no quarantine of such scale was enacted during the Black Plague though this is still being researched with some evidence that at the least, the governor of Milan did enact a quarantine - but nothing on the Imperial level scale as was done during the Yellow Plague. In any event, there was another wave of re-population from Italia after the Black Plague reduced the populaces elsewhere in Romania.

Naming System
Romania’s surnames largely derive from Latin and arose from an individual's peculiar qualities, occupation, relation of fatherhood or lack, and geographic location. Some of them also indicate a remote foreign origin.

Romans have at least four names, consisting of two given names - a first name, a second name, and two surnames – the mother’s second surname and the father’s second surname. On marriage there is no name exchange, rather both spouses maintain their full names that they were born with. Often, the practice is to use one given name and the second surname only most of the time, the complete name being typically reserved for legal, formal, and documentary matters.

List of Roman Names
A list of contemporary common Roman names and their origins:

Male Names:

Alberu

Alexandru

Andreus

Andrèas

Antòniu

Beneditu

Bertu

Caetanu

Clàudiu

Costantinu

Enea

Fabiu

Flaviu

Fortuninu

Frantsiscu

Helias

Hercoles

Iamblicu

Ignàtsiu

Julianu

Larentu

Lenardu

Linu

Luca

Ludvicu

Ludovicu – alternate form of Ludvicu

Mariu – from Roman war god Mars or from the Latin root mas or maris meaning "male". It may also derive from the Latin word mare meaning "sea", the plural of which is maria.

Maximu

Mitrais

Mithrais

Raulu

Robertu

Tullu – from Tullus Hostilius, legendary third king of Rome.

Valentinu

Valeriu

Female Names:

Alisia

Aeliana

Antea – a byname of name of Hera, from Greek: Ἄνθεια, "blossom"

Astarte

Carolina

Carula

Cassandra – name of a Greek prophetess, derivation thought to be from the Proto-Indo-European root *(s)kend- "raise"

Cecilia

Cères – Ceres, name of a goddess of agriculture, grain crops, fertility and motherly relationships

Clara

Diana

Dido

Ecaterina – from name of goddess, derived from Greek: Ἑκάτη, Hekátē

Elissabella – combination of Elissa (first queen of Carthage) and bella (from Romanian bellu, meaning beautiful)

Fiòna - a Romanised form of the Hibernian name Fíona, from the Gaelic word fionn, meaning "white", "fair"

Hecaterina – alternate form of Ecaterina

Helena

Helene – alternate form of Helena

Heliperiona – feminized form of a Greco-Roman name meaning Helios the High One

Hersilia – name of the wife of first King of Rome, Romulus

Hilaria

Ilia – alternate name of mythical mother of the twins Romulus and Remus (see Rea)

Irène

Istar

Julia

Laetitia

Làru

Lillia

Lucretia

Lutsia

Màrias – feminized form of name Mariu, derived from Marius, possibly derived from the war god Mars or from the Latin root mas or maris meaning "male". It may also derive from the Latin word mare meaning "sea", the plural of which is maria.

Maurìtzia

Metis

Mitria

Nina

Rea – the mythical mother of the twins Romulus and Remus. May be derived from a demi-goddess of forests; may also be related to Greek rheô, "flow," and thus relate to her association with the spirit of the river Tiber

Rhea – alternate form of Rea

Sofìa

Ursina

Valentina

Veronica

Viola