Romans (Bellum Romanum)

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

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

Religion
Nearly all follow Jovism, a denomination of Paganism, as the polytheistic of Rome. While modern adherents use the religion to define themselves as a people, early Romans adopted the religious practices of peoples brought under and integrated into Roman rule, such as the or. Romans think of themselves as pious people, constantly praying to the gods in times of both need and abundance. The earliest of of Rome's religious institutions could be traced to its founders, particularly, the second , who negotiated directly with the gods. This was the foundation of the mos maiorum, "the way of the ancestors" or simply "tradition", viewed as central to Roman identity. Eventually, the religion of the Romans underwent extensive reformation in the 3rd century based on the life and teachings of Apollonius, who lived two centuries prior.

During his life, Apollonius denounced decadence and greed, healed the sick, gave to the needy, spoke as a law-giver, was condemned by Roman authorities, and was seen as the savior of the world, given to the world by the gods. When he died, his apostles wrote the Biblia, which codified the teachings of Apollonius, along with the earlier stories of the Roman religion before Apollonius' birth. The scripture preached kindness, charity, mercy; then denounced greed, decadence, and envy. These ideas were alien during the time, but quickly became popular among the needy and lower classes of the region, and by the 7th century, it was the religion and philosophy of the people.

Appearance
Located at a crossroads between three continents, the physical appearance of Romans, although similiar, can vary widely across regions. They are quite short for, with men rarely standing much above six feet. Although short, Romans are rarely stout, and have a rather athletic shape. Skin tones among Romans can range from the relatively white, European-looking Etruscans, to the dark olive, nearly brown -looking Sicilians. Most fall in between the two, having a tanned, but still white complexion. Amongst the population, hair color tends to be brunette, although black or blond hair is occasionally seen. Roman eye color also tends to be brown, with small traces of grey or amber eyes in the northernmost regions. Romans tend to have somewhat round jawlines, espicially prominent in women. Their noses are narrow and lips are slightly larger compared to other Europeans.