Settlers in Melita Insula

The aedile administration of Melita informs all citizens and colonii:
"Dedicated role players can receive a small house or apartment on the island, for free. If a dedicated role player wants a more luxurious residence, we might consider building and renting a small villa to him or her, depending on how involved is that player in the sim".
For this pourpose we are offering the following builds:

An huge domus for a patrician/equestrian family/group formed of at least 3 person.

Located on a middle position, between the harbour and the cultural center, it enjoys of a nice view.

Prims allowed: 40.

Docks Insula.

Located near the plebis insula, at few steps from the harbour, theese builds are pretty big to guest familyes as well. 

Two apartments available (minimum two members for each group/family).

Prims allowed: 25 for each apartment.

Plebis Insula (1).
Four homes one next another, built with a typical punic/phoenician architecture mixed
with romans details.
Apartments are for single members or familyes as well.
Prims allowed: 20 for each home 

Plebis Insula (2).
One build in roman style with a typical Pompeian coloured plaster
For single members or familyes as well.
Prims allowed: 25 

All those interested may contact Hermes (Tonio Renfold) or Arachne Demonia in world, directly or leaving a notecard, or sending an email on Contact Us section of this blog, specyfing avatar name, role invested in land and type of build requested.

Estate policy

Salve colonus. So you just arrived in Melita and you are looking for a shelter, hold on. Follow me at the tavern for a cup of wine, after we are done you may rest upstairs and spend a night or two. If you have decided to stay longer and be an active citizen you may contact one of the city's aediles (administrators) and ask for a domus (house), yes, it is free, if you plan to live in Melita Insula and be an active citizen, along with some resources (40 prims). 

Domus

There are are more options of course if you belong to a rulling class and you bring along your family or your service staff, in this case you may occupy a larger domus or even a villa, for free, along with enough resources. Your only obligation is your reasonable amount of participation to the colony's activities.

Villa

Every colonist, citizen, visitor or passerby is expected to follow all laws of government as they have been explained by the time you arrived on the island. For more details about our estate policy and rules you may contact any of our administrators. Enjoy your stay!

Hermes, the Numidian

My true name is Juba'aal and I come from the land of Numidia, which the Romans called Africa Nova ... just like they do with me, calling me Hermes.
I'm a rudiarius, retired from the games when I gained the Rudis, and also a libertus, thanxgiving Domine Notorious Felonis, wich granted me the manumissio after all my efforts. After a while I left Sicily venturing in the Empire, till the capital, where my troubles began. I've been  accused of embezzlement and sentenced to exile on an island geographically halfway between two worlds that belonged to my past: the island of Melita. Here I continued to exercise my job of lanista to entertain the few Roman citizens who passed or settled in the island, paying my debts with part of the wins.
Once my exile was done, I sadly left the island of Melita with my Familia Gladiatoria, looking for new scenarios in which to sell shows, so I took the first ship to the Aegean Sea and I left Melita for the Dodecanese , a place for me unknowed.  Here I landed on the island of Lutho, where I was well received by the local population and the Quaestor, who gave me the authorization to prosecue my activities in this majest island.

Everithing seemed to proceed for the best...until that terrible day where the gods, Vulcanus first, exploded their anger on that small island. All around was a mix of ash and debris. Many survivors, within many inn roman citizens, could leave the island taking the big roman cargo moored in the harbour and soon diverted to Pergamus. Beh, many except me: a voice into my mind suggested me to not follow them and that I could reach my fortune again elsewhere. So i left that island on a fishing boat, heading to another island, and one more; everyday on a different one, until landing in Rhodes.

There an unexpected meeting with an his old knowledge, gave him the opportunity to move back to Roma and there to work again as lanista for the biggest gladiatorial school of all the empire.

Roman Warships pt. 1 & the Celeuma's Song

We know alot about this powerful means of conquest and control of the seas, especially with reproductions on coins, bas-reliefs, pompeian frescoes and historical descriptions, while the archaeological finds are limited in large measure to "navi onerarie" (cargo ships) and their loads.

The Roman warships were classified in:

• naves praetoriae (flagships): long, rowing and very fast;

• naves longae and naves liburnicae: very fast and with several rows of oars;

• naves actuariae: read, for troops transportation;

• naves speculatoriae: of reconnaissance, to observe the enemy;

• naves tabellariae: small units for sending dispatches.

The type of ship is generally related to the orders of oars present on each of them.

Bireme

"navis longa" with two rows of oarsmen sitting on the same bench. It was also equipped of a square sail and developed a good speed thanks to its weight and small size. It was superseded by more

functional trireme.

Trireme 

"navis longa" with three series of rowers. It was the most commonly used warship, was equipped with a rostrum and, in newer units, there was a tower to house archers at bow to launch arrows from higher positions. At the aft was built cab blanket commander. Its crew was 200 men including 150 rowers and 15 between Officers and NCOs.

Gladius Romanus Formosus

Many reproductions of this type of weapon represent it with a special shape: wide at the tip, closer to the center and back to the same lar length near the hilt. May it be true?
From a field experience has been seen that sharpening costantly a sword with parallel edges to remove dents caused by the impact of other weapons, these are gradually shrinking at the center until they assumed that particular form. We might also think that for the Roman soldiers have a sword with this particular form was a source of pride in what could amount to having fought many battles and killed many enemies.

Gladius Romanus Formosus