Ownership of land was of great importance in many aspects of ancient Roman culture, and we believe that Nova Roma acquiring this first piece of property is significant on many levels. This property is the first land to be owned by a Republic of the "Senate and People" of Rome in nearly two thousand years. For the first time in centuries, classical Roman culture, religion and civilization hold a physical place of their own. It is our hope that this land is a symbol of the return of the best aspects of Rome to the modern world, and that Rome will continue to grow and prosper internationally from this simple beginning.

The Nova Roma website badly needs some freshening up, to reflect the grand enterprise on which it reports. Still, the material is relentlessly fascinating if you have any interest in the revival of ancient languages and cultures. It also deals head-on with skeptics of Roman might, who evidently have suggested that the togas, names, coins and other paraphenalia of resurgent empire are not, well, serious:

We're far more than some "role- playing" game! The culture and knowledge left by classical Rome can still make a positive contribution to the modern world. Nova Roma is a serious attempt to provide a place where those interested in the various aspects of the classical world can begin to turn that cultural legacy into a living system once again.

With Fortune, Nova Roma is growing into something very "real" indeed. We are gaining Citizens at a steady (and increasing) rate, and more and more "local real world" meetings and events are becoming possible. There are now over a thousand Nova Romans... running real-world classical-oriented businesses through the ordo equester, hosting public gatherings such as Roman Days and the annual Conventus Novae Romae in Europa, organizing sodalitates (clubs) around classical subjects concerning everything from brewing to philosophy, holding legal religious services, helping to fund serious archaeological digs, and even participating in real-world politics as an international "culture and people."

Of course, if one wants to see another venture that revived an ancient language and heritage, one might easily find it tucked away in an obscure, rather forgotten corner of the Roman Empire, where they hit the snooze button 2000 years ago.

Israel, of course. The new Romans could learn some lesson there. What's the Latin word for "ulpan"?