Villa Dominus  ·  Falls Church, Virginia

Roman New Year’s Eve
Toga Party

December 31, 2026 through January 4, 2027

VENI VIDI BIBI IN VINO VERITAS CARPE NOCTEM LAETITIA ET GLORIA ALEA IACTA EST FABER EST SUAE QUISQUE FORTUNAE ROMA AETERNA VENI VIDI BIBI IN VINO VERITAS CARPE NOCTEM LAETITIA ET GLORIA ALEA IACTA EST FABER EST SUAE QUISQUE FORTUNAE ROMA AETERNA

Festive lights sparkle from ancient hills’ rich villas where imperial ambitions were born. Myriad beacons stave off the Eternal City’s dark midwinter murk. Saturnalia’s festivals are now complete. The servile toil to pour libations from splashing amphorae into the gem encrusted chalices of their togate masters.

Campaign season lies months hence, after spring’s thaw. War’s gleaming instruments are sheathed this night. Conquerors’ bejeweled fists instead lift goblets high to honored friends and beloved family. Antiquity’s noble plunderers revel in salutation of New Year’s shining hopes and crimson destinies.

In purple frescoed villas and marble halls of the Roman great, the glowing promise of a new day is deified on New Year’s Eve as Janus, the twin-faced God of Gates. He holds the space between past and future, memory and hope, hearth’s comfort and the benighted void. Janus stands with us at the threshold of eternity.

With immortal Janus, we will greet the new year together and unafraid. We will toast with ceremony and decorum our memories of shared glories in years gone by. We will toast with roaring Bacchanalian excess the unparalleled prosperity we will carve from 2027 under the golden Eagles of Empire. We will honor those many cherished friendships that make our history so memorable and our future so bright.

Sounds like a Toga Party!

What to Expect

When
Dec 31, 2026 – Jan 4, 2027
Four whole days of New Year’s celebration. We have lots of games and events planned to fill the time. Don’t miss out!
Where
Villa Dominus
Falls Church, Virginia. Exact address provided upon invitation confirmation.
Attire
Roman Dress Required
Toga, tunica, stola, palla — Roman garb in any form. Loaner togas available for the uninitiated. Dress to oppress!
The Feast
Convivium-Style Dining
Roman-inspired food and drink. Wine flows freely. Bring a dish and/or a drink to share — the Roman way.
Entertainment
Music, Games & Glory
Music, Roman games, storytelling, and the company of Rome’s finest citizens from across the Empire.
Admission
By Invitation
Private event for citizens of Rome and their guests. Contact Dominus to request an invitation.

The Dress Code

Rome was an empire of fashion as much as conquest. Your garb tells your story. Are you a citizen? A senator? A current or former magistrate? The toga is the minimum. Why stop there?

Toga Virilis

Plain white wool, the mark of a Roman citizen. Simple, dignified, unmistakably Roman. The foundation of the wardrobe.

Toga Praetexta

White with a purple border, worn by former and current Magistrates. If you’ve earned the right to wear it, wear it proudly! (If you order a toga from Ukraine (below), make sure to tell them you want actual purple trim, not red.)

Tunica & Stola

The everyday dress of Roman men and women. Colorful, comfortable, and authentically Roman. Drape it well and you’re already there.

Not Animal House

This is not THAT kind of Toga Party. Please don’t wear silly togas. And to our fellow medievalists — this isn’t a costume party. This is a celebration of Roman glory! Please go with the theme.

Loaner Togas Available

First time? Don’t worry. Villa Dominus maintains a limited supply of loaner togas (i.e., white sheets) for new guests. You will attend properly attired. With some planning ahead, you could look magnificent.

Traditions of the Evening

The Arrival

We greet citizens at the door with wine and welcome them into the atrium. Please remove your shoes in favor of bare feet or slippers as you enter. The party is kid-friendly until after midnight, when it’s time for the auspices and pictures. Then the games begin!

Rome's citizenry in togas and Roman dress before the eagle standard at the New Year's Eve Toga Party

The Convivium

Romans are the best company I know, and we’ve shared experiences in battle that most people can’t imagine. Battles leave us little time to socialize. Campouts are different, but inevitably center around combat. And combat can be exhausting. The Toga Party lets us enjoy one another’s company at peace, in comfortable surroundings, over drinks.

Roman Toga Party 2015 at Villa Dominus

The New Year

As midnight approaches, Rome gathers. We dispatch the old year with ceremony and welcome the New Year with a toast, an “Ave Rome,” and group pictures. After pictures, we hold the auspices for the New Year. Then we party into the night, with games and prizes. At sunrise, we have another togate photoshoot in front of a prominent DC monument and finally rest. We have daily activities planned for the survivors, lasting until January 4.

Roman New Year celebration

Rome Wants You at This Table

The Toga Party is private and space is limited. If you are a citizen of Rome (or wish to become one), reach out to Dominus directly. First-time guests are welcome. Loaner togas are provided. Bring wine and good cheer.

Request an Invitation Become a Citizen of Rome
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