Founding

ITS FOUNDING

In 2019 when Tony Roman was meeting with friends at ‘Basilico’s Pasta e Vino’ a small family owned Italian restaurant in Huntington Beach, CA, and discussing the need for an authentic Italian men’s club in Southern California, he suggested that they create it themselves.  Several weeks later, onboard an Italian styled and named yacht docked in Newport Beach, CA, ‘American Sons of Roma’ was created. It was Columbus Day, Monday, October 14, 2019.

To expand relations with fellow gentlemen of Italian ancestry, the club held ‘Fratellanza’ (brotherhood) type gatherings at Basilico’s. The evenings included drinking Italian wine and enjoying good Italian food, conversation, and  live Italian entertainment. A night of fellowship honoring our proud Italian American culture and heritage.

THE NAME

‘Roma Capitale del Mondo’ meaning ‘Rome, Capital of the world’ in Italian originates from the known influence of Rome on culture, religion, language, politics, society, economics, art, architecture, law, and philosophy throughout the world. It is believed that all of Italy’s people are direct descendants of the Romans, a proud lineage leading all the way back to the founding of the Roman Empire.  Without Italians there would be no Rome, and without Rome where would all roads lead to?  Beginning with the Romans and then Italians, there has been no country and culture that has best represented civilization like Italy has, beginning with its Roman influence and Christian religion. So yes ‘All Roads Lead to Rome’ and derived from a proverb in medieval Latin, ‘A thousand roads lead a man forever to Rome’ it is believed so do the blood lines of all Italians.

THE SHIELD

Inside the “American Sons of Roma’ shield, we represent our lineage with the Roman Centurion helmet prominently displayed. The helmet signifies strength and honor, and represents faith, as Jesus had direct contact with a Centurion who believed, as told in Matthew’s and Luke’s Gospels.  On top of the helmet is a crest lead by the colors of the American flag which represents our loyalty to America first, and then bleeds into the colors of the Italian flag towards the back, which signifies our heritage. The gold star in place of the eye, represents Rome, once viewed as the Capital and light of the world where civilization was defined. The Roman numerals along the left side of the shield signifies the year ‘American Sons of Roma’ was founded, 2019. Along the right side of the shield is the age old saying, ‘All Roads Lead to Rome’ as we also believe so does our ancestry. Most importantly is our faith and devotion to Christianity and the Roman Catholic Church, which is symbolized by the Crucifix on the peak of the shield.

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