Event Cancelled - Lack of Interest Cited

The Nova Roma "Big Event" that had been scheduled for this year is officially cancelled, and lack of interest is cited.

Of course, one wonders how much interest a Thanksgiving party* in Phoenix, Arizona, USA could really generate in a group that is supposed to be about Roman culture, but in this group even Roman culture garners little interest, as cited in the cancellation announcement by "Statia Cornelia Aeternia":

"There are many reasons why this decision was made, but the most effected [sic] reason was very mundane. Despite [sic] the chosen location of the Conventus didn't seem to appeal to many cives, the observation of the lack of participation with the Ludi all of them overall [sic], and now this household is going to be moving to another residence which co-relates [sic] in the time of the Conventus, which in all honesty is the biggest reason."

Despite the extremely poor English (and no quarter is given here as the writer is an American adult) the reasons that are given can be summarized as:

1. Nobody wants to come to Phoenix
2. Nobody is participating in the Roman things anyway
3. I am moving that weekend

That Phoenix, Arizona, USA is not as big a draw as say, Rome, Italy or Merida, Spain for an annual meeting of a Roman group actually seems to surprise these people. The "lack of participation with the Ludi all of them overall [sic]" simply confirms what we have been saying; this organization is a sham. As the members do nothing "Roman" at all, least of all any educational or religious activities (e.g., "lack of participation with the Ludi"), their tax-exempt status is undeserved. Finally, we can see that this "international organization" depends on exactly one person to organize its main live event of the year, what they call a "conventus". 

* Yes, Thanksgiving party. It was scheduled for November 24 - 27 (Thanksgiving weekend in the USA) at the (presumably tiny) Shriner hall in Phoenix. The main event? "Thanksgiving Dinner". Really.

More than half have left, and most won't pay 5 dollars.

Every few years, Nova Roma undertakes to count its members. A "census" has just been completed and the Nova Roma website reports the following:

"At the beginning of census in Nova Roma are recorded: 1345 active citizens."
"At the end of census in Nova Roma are recorded: 537 active citizens."

That loss of 808 names is a 60% drop in "active citizens". But what exactly is an "active citizen"? Counted as active is any person who did any of these:

• vote in an election
• pay the "tax"
• is exempt from paying the "tax"
• become a member in the calendar year
• send an email to the "censors"

A couple of observations come to mind.

Anyone in the shadowy category of "exempt" needs do nothing to be included as an "active citizen".

A previous "official report" dated 2005 predicted a decline in membership from 846 in 2005 to 601 by 2010, citing "only 27% retention". The new numbers bear out that prediction and confirm the low retention rate.

Since the first cited page says that "all citizens were contacted for census" [sic], any of the 808 lost members could have been counted simply by replying to an email. That they chose not to take this simple step is a strong indictment of this group. It should be borne in mind that these people had first-hand experience of the workings of the group. Since the "official" Nova Roma discussion groups are now private, it is impossible for non-members to see what is actually going on in this organization. Once inside, the vast majority decide to leave, and leave quickly.

Several experienced observers have pointed out that the remaining members include a number of families where all members are technically "active" but only one member is an actual participant in any real sense. The rest simply inflate the membership size without participating in any way. This includes a large number of minor children. Even the "number of taxpayers", 105, is inflated in this way. For the equivalent of a few dollars each, a member so inclined can create a handful of voting members, all in the control of one person.

Even though the membership fee is as low as $5 per year, fewer than 20% of the members will pay even this sum.

In summary, the membership size continues the long slide to zero. 808 previous members could not be bothered to reply to an email. 432 of the 537 remaining members will not pay even the $5 membership fee. Most of the people who have participated in this organization have come to the same conclusion, that it is a waste of time.

Worldwide participation of fewer than 100

Since all of the more than 50 "magistrates", "senators" and "priests" are required to pay this "tax"or lose their positions, the numbers show that very few indeed who are not in those groups (the power holders) bother to pay.

Update:

This was just announced.

Edictum censoris Iuli Sabini de capite censi anno MMDCCLXIV.
1. Due to the not payment of the annual tax, the following Nova Roma's Senators and magistrates:

• Marcus Iulius Perusianus – Senator,

• Emilia Curia Finnica – Senatrix,

• Marcus Curiatius Complutensis – Senator,

• Gaius Flavius Diocletianus – Senator,

• Appia Domitia Taura – Quaestor,

are considered capite censi, suspended from their function, placed in the last century and urban tribes, without the right to attend or observe the Senate sessions, run for offices or be appointed as apparitores or provincial governors.
The suspension is valid until a censor suffectus is elected, when their final situation will be decided in concordance with the laws of Nova Roma.
2. Other categories of capite censi officials are subject of analysis and decisions of the Nova Roman institutions which elected, nominated or appointed them.

This means that with resignations and expulsions, 14 of roughly 33 "magistrates" positions are now vacant. Point #2 above, "Other categories of capite censi officials are subject of analysis and decisions of the Nova Roman institutions which elected, nominated or appointed them", means that more vacancies are likely to come.

Republic or dinner party?

At the end of 2010, the "republic" of Nova Roma voted in its annual elections. The size of the voting population? 38. Yes, that's right. Just 38 "citizens" bothered to cast votes. All the members who cared enough to vote come to no more than a large dinner party.