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 Jovism as a religion, and the religion plays a large part in daily life. Romans speak Latin, the only surviving language and the parent of many languages in the region.

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

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

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

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

Appearance
Like many other southern, the Romans are relatively short and small compared to the taller peoples of Europe, such as the Nords. However, they rarely become stout, but tend to have an athletic, lean shape. Romans tend to have relatively round and heart-shaped jawlines along with large eyes. They usually have brunette hair, although dark blond hair is occasionally seen among the population. Like hair color, brown eyes are most common.

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

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

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

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

The staple ingredients of Roman dishes include seafood, fish. beef, pork, rice, tomatoes, cheese, bread, and pasta. All types of spices, salts, herbs, and peppers are used in cooking to enhance the flavor of these foods.