Mons Aventinus Brainstorm Session!

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Mons Aventinus Brainstorm Session!

Postby Marcus Lupinius Paulus on Tue Jun 10, 2008 3:52 am

Salvete Omnes!

Mons Aventinus does not seem to be getting very populated. Pity actually, because it is such a cool idea.

I would like to ask all SVR members who are not on MA to please consider going there and setting up a residence. I'm very much a novice at Wiki myself, and would be a very poor guide, but there are others who would be moire than happy to give you some guidance.

MA can actually be a Rome for us. Real life gatherings are all well and good, but the fact remains we are pretty well spread out. There are many places of interest that have no link, and wouldn't it be cool if SVR members help out with this and beautify this city?

If you have any questions about MA, please ask right here, or email me or my colleagues Priscus and Iohannes, and visit MA to see this for yourself.

I think I am the only resident in Trans Tiberim. Lots of room for all of you in this city!
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Marius inquit...

Postby Aldus Marius on Sun Jun 22, 2008 9:32 pm

Salvete, Romani Viatores!

I'm copying my letter to Triarius, and his response (see following), over from Comitia-->Mons Aventinus Revisited. If we're going to hash out the Societas' take on MA, and we're going to have a Sticky for it, I think these two messages need to be in the thread.

Once they're both up, I'll start tossing some new ideas out for consideration. Here ya go... >({|:-)


Salve, Triari magister!

Much earlier than I expected, I think Mons Aventinus is approaching a tipping-point.

I've been getting "pinged" all week by SVR Sodales, including MA residents and prospectives, in the SVR Forum and privately, and they all want to know the same thing: Why can only Novaromani occupy a domus or a villa?

It may seem a small thing now...but, like the old "non-Citizen" Hill zoning, it has implications. MA's great appeal is that it is meant for all Romans, everybody. But some of the site's policies do accord preferential status to Nova Romans. I don't think that's intentional; the site, like anything that changes, is a product of its own history, and for Mons Aventinus that started with NR. But as long as differences in policy remain, questions of this nature are going to arise, and I thought it might be better to hammer something out while the Project is still young.

In general, is it desirable to maintain a distinction between Nova Romans and all others? If we do (and I could see it in some ways; see below about the villae), is it possible to do it in a way that will not seem (or be) actively discriminatory?

This begs an even larger question. The site takes pains to point out that Nova Roma and Mons Aventinus are two separate things. Right now, MA is pretty tightly bound to Nova Roman regulations and structures. (Heia, it had to start somewhere.) But they are bound to diverge at some point, probably pretty soon, as new blood and its accompanying outside influence make themselves felt. Wouldn't it be wiser for us to make provision for that separation from the beginning?


...[snip some Nova Roma history for comparison]...


This could serve us as a cautionary tale. I think we can do better...but it'll require some thought. I see the NR elements as a foundation, but only that; it's not the weedy lot, surely, but neither is it the whole edifice. What Mons Aventinus will be when it grows up depends on the residents--and it may not closely resemble anything either of us was thinking! >({|8-)

OK, the housing situation in particular:

FWIW, I'd like to see at least the domi open up to more people. This, I think, would alleviate a lot of the feeling of "housing discrimination" that's going around. If we decide to keep some sort of requirement for occupying a domus, it could be something unrelated to NR Citizenship--perhaps being an active member of one's own group (NR or otherwise), or having lived on MA for a certain length of time before qualifying, or writing at least a minimum number of articles for the site. (We need articles...)

The villae are, understandably, a special case. I know that the residents of the villae in particular are all NR assidui and have thus, in a way, paid for the privilege. I respect that, and I agree that people who have given financial support should be given some form of preference. But if this project works as well as we'd like it to, eventually some of the paying members will be non-Nova Romans, contributing towards site fees and such. Would they be eligible for a villa as well?

I wouldn't be bugging you if I didn't believe in what you're doing, and wish the best for it, and desire to head off possible problems before they arise. Mons Aventinus is very young, still finding itself as a community. We have time to get it right. >({|:-)


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...et Triarius Magister respondit

Postby Aldus Marius on Sun Jun 22, 2008 9:36 pm

And he said...:

Salve Mari,

Yes, I agree. I think MA is beginning to develop on its own, which is what I have always wanted to happen with the site. I have pondered the NR situation and agree with you about the neutrality MA must maintain if it is to grow beyond what it is. I originally envisioned it as a place where NR activities could be housed, but only some of the groups have used the site, and not as many as the SVR gang. We are seeing some from other organizations as well. My problem is that I have taken a new job, coupled with my family's business, and for the mast couple of months, I have been up to my ears in it. If you can formulate the changes and go ahead and start rewording everything, I will jump in as soon as I get a handle on things here. Also, if you know anyone else who would like to help edit, recruit them.

Also, my NR boss, P. Memmius Albucius, has started a gaming club or something and located I think on the via Lata in the Campus Martius. He is trying to get a team together for online roman game sites. If you know any gamers in SVR, they could band together to occupy a site next to the NR gamers and start building a gaming street. Call it good old fashioned competition!

Vale optime,
Triarius


Bene, it looks like I have the go-ahead. But I'm not going to do this by myself. Calide amice has highlighted the more obvious differences between current means and desired ends. I intend to ask this more places than here, but: Can anyone offer me guidance on these and other possible areas to look at?

Related question: Would you prefer to help me hash this out on the [MAWiki] List?
Last edited by Aldus Marius on Sun Jun 22, 2008 10:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Our Story Continues...!

Postby Aldus Marius on Sun Jun 22, 2008 10:45 pm

Salvete iterum, amici Romani!

...Bene, that's the backstory. The reason I mentioned [MAWiki] is because I feel a little awkward making plans in the SVR Forum for another Roman community. OTOH, many of you have had a lot to say about the Project--good and constructive things; I'm guessing Lupinius began this thread so that would continue. I think we've needed a designated, dedicated gathering-spot for our ideas. I've even considered giving Mons Aventinus its own section or subsection of the Board, the way we were going to for the Academia Thules. Quid censitis, amici?

All the same, I'd been kinda hoping more Sodales would join me on [MAWiki]. That's what it's for; and, besides the SVR Forum <rubesco>, it's where we're doing a lot of MA brainstorming. Right now it's just Triarius, Lupinius and myself on the List (ita, mi Paule, I've 'outed' you! <g>); we could use some help! "Dual citizens" are especially encouraged to balance me out.

But, OK. We'll talk about it here too. I'm a junkie, I'll take it wherever I can get it! >({|8-)

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Mons Aventinus

Postby Valerius Claudius Iohanes on Tue Jun 24, 2008 3:44 am

Salvete, omnes,

Et bene fecisti, Marii, in posting the material from the other thread. That belongs in this "sticky" here.

Sodales, I'm surprised there are not more folk over there, indeed -- but then Rome is a big place, and Triarius' project does it justice on that score.

I expect some of us simply can't find time to enjoy or embroider a spot to their own liking on MA. Others may be newbies in such an environment (I know I was) and confounded by the relatively technical twists & turns of a Wiki page. Hopefully one of the many who are not represented over there will let us know on his or her account why not. Certainly, if the hesitation is over know-how, we could find help for who needs it.

Etiam hoc: I'm wondering, should we try to consolidate ourselves on a single hill, or a single via, and make that a more populous and neighborly spot?

Valete.
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Back in the 'Hood

Postby Aldus Marius on Tue Jun 24, 2008 6:08 am

Salvete amici!

Actually, Triarius had suggested that when I was first talking to him about joining. I'd argued in favor of us mixing it up with the locals, of whatever affiliation or lack thereof. (I think the term "tastefully scattered" came into play...) >({|:-)

But, now that we can settle anywhere we please, would we perhaps like to gravitate towards a particular area? Having a number of residents who already know each other and who have something in common would add to the neighborhood 'feel' of the place. A new resident from the Societas would know where to go; s/he'd have the beginnings of a 'social circle' already in place, and a base of operations (dare I say an Outpost? <g>) from which to go forth, meet new people and perform Mighty Deeds!

Speaking of Deeds...there's a lot more to the place than home improvement. What it really needs is what any Wiki does: Articles. On every Hill there is a list of "Sites of Interest". These are meant to lead to descriptions of historical Roman landmarks and activities; but most of them right now only link to their NR equivalents. The rest is for us to fill in. I'd love to reverse the proportions of on-site (internal) and off-site (external, usually to NR) links, but for that we'd need to get writing. Anyone who has a bit of knowledge to share can probably do so in a lot less time than it takes to add a wing to an already-palatial insula. >({|;-)

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Postby Quintus Servilius Priscus on Tue Jun 24, 2008 9:36 am

Salvete,

Due to the historical connections between the Caelian Hill and the real Gens Servilia, I probably would not move anywhere else. The Servilia gens was one of the Alban houses forcibly removed to Rome and was settled on the Caelian Hill by Tullus Hostilius. So my being at X Via Appia I'm afraid is set in stone.

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Postby Marcus Lupinius Paulus on Wed Jun 25, 2008 1:42 am

Salvete Omnes!

A while back I had a similar thought to the one Iohannes is expressing.
And a neighboorhood does sound nice!

But OTOH, we all seem to be in places appropriate to us. Priscus on the Caelian Hill due to his interest in the historical curcumstances of his adopted family; Marius the Old Soldier is on the Campus Martias {where else?}; The Lethal One, Cleopatra Aelia is near the Flavian Ampitheater, Iohannes is near the Temple of Claudius. And I am in Trans Tiberim, clear on the other side of the river from the OP and it's politics.

We ARE sort of nicely spaced out. You could say SVR is all over the place.

As for Mari's observation of needing articles, this is important. I would eventually like to write on on the Roman Isis, and this would save me the trouble of writing such an article for the Templvm Isidis site.

Why not commit to producing, sometime between now and New Years Day 2009, at least one responsible article on a subject we are all interested in. Sources included, helpful links, etc.

What thinkest thou?

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Projects

Postby Aldus Marius on Wed Jun 25, 2008 5:54 am

Salve, mi Paule, et Salvete omnes!

I think your suggestion that we each pledge at least one real article this year is excellent. I might even, with the Curatores' consent, go one further: Any Sodalis who contributes an article to the MA Wiki could become eligible for Equestrian rank within our own Society. Quid censitis, magistri?

As for the neighborhood idea, of course nobody has to settle there. Many of us, as Paulus observes, have already found our niches, whether for their historical, their cultural, their spiritual, or their familial affinities. Plainly, anyone who already knows where s/he'd like to live should live there. Where an "SVR district" might come in handy is for those who have no preference, or who perhaps don't know their way around town just yet, or who like the idea of being near their friends.

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