FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: The Declaration of Sovereignty claims that Antoninia is an independent sovereign national state. Is this serious, or are you people playing some sort of game?
Answer: This is a serious group. Antoninia is not a game or a role playing society. It is not a recreational group for people who want to play at being ancient Roman politicians. We are sincere and committed to our stated goal of supporting Classical Paganism. Antoninia claims sovereignty over itself as a group. The term "independent sovereign national state" implies a group that controls itself and is not subject to control by another outside group. The Empire of Antoninia is not a corporation, it is not a business, and it is not a charity or a church. The form and internal functioning of corporations, businesses, and charities are controlled by the countries where such entities exist. Antoninia rejects all such control over its internal affairs and its stated purposes.
Question: The Declaration says that Antoninia is dedicated to reviving and supporting the polytheistic religions and cults of the ancient Greek, Roman, Italian, and kindred peoples. What do you mean? Do I have to be a Pagan to join?
Answer: We mean exactly what we say. The primary purpose of Antoninia is to support and promote the worship of the ancient Gods of Greece and Rome, and of all of the lands once included within the Roman Empire. Essentially, this means the ancient polytheistic religions of all the lands around the Mediterranean Sea, all of Europe and the Near East. All members of Antoninia must respect that idea. Members are not required to worship the ancient Gods, but they must respect those who do. Antoninia does not inquire into the specific beliefs of its members. You can be a member of Antoninia without being or identifying yourself as a Pagan and you are not required to worship the Gods, but you must accept the fact that Antoninia is a Pagan organization dedicated to worshipping those ancient Gods.
Question: If I become a citizen of Antoninia do I still have to pay taxes to the country where I actually live?
Answer: Yes, you still have to pay your taxes and obey the laws of the country where you actually live. Becoming a citizen of Antoninia does not relieve you of any responsibilities that you have in the world.
Question: You call Antoninia an empire. Doesn't that mean that you have to control land and territory, or have to go out and conquer something?
Answer: No, it does not. The Latin word "imperium", from which the English word "empire" is derived, implies control and authority over something, not necessarily land as such. It is in this sense that we use the word "empire". We claim control and authority over ourselves as a group. Antoninia does not have any territorial ambitions, but it does not reject the idea of owning land and territory, whether it is land and territory subject to the authority of another state or land and territory recognized as sovereign Antonine property by other sovereign states.
Question: Does the Emperor of Antoninia rule over his subjects like a king?
Answer: No, absolutely not. There is no royalty in Antoninia and there are no kings in Antoninia. There are no subjects in Antoninia. Forms of address such as "your majesty" or "your highness" are not used in Antoninia. The Emperor is a citizen just like any other citizen. The relatives of the Emperor do not receive any privileges just because they happen to be related to the person who has been chosen as Emperor. The Emperor or Empress is the highest level administrator in Antoninia, he or she is not a king or queen.
The citizens of Antoninia are completely free to live their lives as they choose, and they can do whatever they like and believe whatever they like without interference from the organization. Citizens are expected to accept Antoninia's stated goal of supporting Classical Paganism, and citizens must comply with the rules of the organization while they are members. Citizens, of course, also have to obey the laws of the countries where they reside. See Article IV Section B of the Constitution for the rights and responsibilities that are guaranteed to all citizens of Antoninia.
Question: Why does the Constitution provide for two emperors of Antoninia?
Answer: This is in accordance with ancient Roman custom, and is designed to limit the power of any one individual person over the organization. If the government of Antoninia were fully staffed, there would be two emperors, two consuls, two censors, two chief praetors, and ten ordinary praetors. Actually, if the government were fully staffed, the position of Emperor could be left vacant.
The higher officials in the government of Antoninia can be compared, somewhat generally and roughly, to the higher officials of a corporation or business. The emperors are equivalent to the president or chief administrative officer, the consuls are equivalent to the chief executive officer, the censors are equivalent to the secretary, the chief praetors are equivalent to executive vice presidents, and the ordinary praetors are equivalent to ordinary vice presidents. Treasury functions are divided between the Emperors and the Senate, and there is no specific position within Antoninia that corresponds to the position of treasurer in a business organization. The Senate functions as a board of directors.
An important difference between the government of Antoninia and conventional modern governments concerns the idea of separating executive, legislative, and judicial powers. Most modern governments organize executive, legislative, and judicial functions into separate areas of government. Antoninia does not make this distinction. All of the higher officials within Antoninia share, to a varying degree, executive, legislative, and judicial functions. This is in accordance with the practice of most ancient governments.
To apply for citizen membership in Antoninia, go to: Citizenship
Question: If I want to do more in Antoninia than just be a citizen, what should I do?
Answer: Tell someone about it! You can contact Antoninia at antoninestate@aol.com and antoninepagan@aol.com and at antoninediplomat@aol.com Or you can write to the address listed on the Home Page.