Romulan
From Star Trek: Theurgy Wiki
The Romulans were a humanoid race from the planet Romulus. The Romulans were biological cousins of Vulcans, as they were descended from those who rejected Surak's reforms during the Time of Awakening. The Romulan Star Empire was the Romulan state and one of the major powers known in the galaxy.
Physiology
Due to their shared ancestry, Vulcans and Romulans possessed very similar physiology, including varied skin color. Romulans had pointed ears, eyebrows that were arched and up-swept, and copper-based blood that appeared green when oxygenated in the arteries, or copper or rust-colored when deoxygenated in the veins. The Romulan heart was also gray in color, and they had a much faster heart rate than humans, at an average rate of 240 beats per minute. Most Romulans had two brow ridges above the bridge of their nose, forming a V-shape on the forehead. However, a minority of Romulans lack these ridges, making them outwardly indistinguishable from Vulcans. In addition, like their biological cousins, Romulans did possess greater physical strength than that of a Human.
Despite their common ancestry there were also many subtle internal physiological differences between Vulcans and Romulans. Their life signs registered distinctly enough on the scanners of the USS Enterprise in 2268 that officer Pavel Chekov was able to distinguish his crewmate Spock from the crew complement of a Romulan starship, though he did note the difficulty of the task.
The physical differences between Romulans and Vulcans were evidenced in Dr. Beverly Crusher's failed attempt to treat a Romulan, Patahk, who had suffered advanced synaptic breakdown, with the methods used to treat Vulcans. In fact, it was later determined that the genetic similarities between Romulans and Klingons allowed for the two species to have a compatible ribosome match to effect treatment. Like many Vulcanoid species, the Romulans also required a daily diet of Kelassium in order to avoid intestinal scarring.
In addition to this, the Romulans did not undergo the affects of Pon farr, due to not repressing their normal sexual urges unlike their Vulcan cousins. Despite this, certain Romulans are telepathically receptive to this condition. Vulcans and Romulans are genetically compatible for breeding purposes, although for many years the Romulan government denied this was a possibility, to avoid the consequences of being forced to pay reparations for any such offspring should they occur. According to Saavik, a practice of the 23rd century Romulans was to sire children with Vulcan females by rape, forcing the women to remain alive only long enough to give birth to the child. This could also be forced on a Vulcan man coerced to impregnate a Romulan woman, and in both cases the situation was seen as a great coup of social status for the Romulan. Romulans would also establish dominance among prisoners by taking wives from other species and fathering children with them, although the marriages were rarely harmonious. Sela was the result of such a marriage.
Romulans were also known to be interfertile with Humans and Klingons, which was evident in the existence of both Nathaniel Isley and Devyrie Okhala.
Finally, the Romulan lifespan is noted to be still prodigious and it's not uncommon for certain members of the species to pass two centuries of age.
Psychology
Romulans lacked the rigorous mental disciplines developed by the followers of Surak. They were a passionate people, easily moved to extreme emotions. Paranoia was etched deeply within the Romulan psyche and character background which was made evident when the Romulan Senate's floor held a picture of the Romulan Neutral Zone, a symbol of everything that inhibits and threatens the Empire. Among the Romulan people, the race also developed the concept of "Final Honor" which was something that requires a Romulan to sacrifice their life to prevent them from being captured, or for their honor being taken from them.
It was a curiosity to many as to why the Romulans did not possess the same psionic talents as their parent race. Numerous debates on the subject meant that there was no certainty about the reason, with arguments ranging from it being a factor of genetics to a result of societal upbringing. Some even believe that, due to the Romulans' desire to retain their aggression, they never found the inner strength of the mind that the Vulcans possessed, thus denying them any form of potential telepathic powers. LoBrutto's historical text The Romulan Way stated that Vulcan psionic abilities died out during the Romulan migration following the Sundering because many adepts died on the journey, and new adepts could not be taught without "laying on of hands" by circles of trained adepts.
Romulan children born with physical deformities or attributes that impede their ability to serve their society are not allowed to live which means that the Romulans practice euthanasia. The development of the child is monitored closely until the age of 5. If the child is fit then they enter a rigorous training program of schooling, cultural indoctrination and physical training for 15 years. During this time, the child is regularly tested as the Romulans are reluctant to spend resources on a child that is unable to compete; such children are forever left behind.
Until the age of 20, the child is judged on whether they are physically and mentally fit by Romulan standards. If they are not then they must prove that they have the right to live by fighting a youth of the same approximate age. This trial by combat is to the death with the winner proving their worthiness while the loser being shown to be unsuitable to become a Romulan citizen. Once this is complete, it is compulsory for all Romulans to spend at least 5 years in the military with both sexes serving equally which provides the bulk of the Empire's military forces. After completion of this tour of duty, the Romulan is accepted as a citizen and may marry.
Language
The Romulan alphabet developed from an alphabet called Kzhad. Rihannsu was the name of the language, and it was divided into two dialects, Low Rihan and High Rihan (also known as High Rihannsu).
Romulan Glossary
A handy lexicon for Romulan words:
| aefvadh | "Be welcome!" |
| aehallh | Meanings:
|
| aehkhifv | "Eradication" |
| aehf | Possibly "backside". Admiral Valdore told Khazara once that he "needn't continue to kiss [his] aehf any more", but Khazara countered saying he would "kick it" instead. |
| ael | "Winged" A proper Romulan name, fairly common on ch'Havran. |
| afw'ein | "Reason", as in use of one's faculties. |
| aidoann | "Moon", rarely used as a proper name. |
| aihai | "Plains" or "prairie" |
| aihr | Noun prefix meaning "this is" |
| Andorsu | Andorians. |
| Areinnye | Mythological location Rihannsu were said to be damned to. (Read: Hell) |
| arrenhe'hwiua | A Romulan name for their telecapture weapon. |
| arrhe | "Worth in cash" Originally used in the derogatory for a servant who performed the duties of lower-rank slaves, it was later modified to be "a servant more worthy of higher position than those awarded it". The proper name "Arrhae" is a derivation. |
| ath'rel'ithar | A phenomena that occurs on Romulus, translating from the Romulan language to mean "winds of frozen tears." This comes from the icy tundra fields from Brel'kar which come down from the polar ice caps over the treeless plains before impacting on the T'aresh Mountains. |
| auethn | "Advise me" or "answer the query" |
| au'e | "Oh, yes," |
| auroto | Romulan word for a living-dead monster, roughly translated as "zombie" or "ghost". |
| avaihh lli vastam | Name of the Romulans' warp seven project. |
| bruchon | "traitor" |
| ch'Havran | Planet of the Romulan system, designated "Remus" by the Federation. Lit. "of the Travelers". |
| ch'Rihan | Planet of the Romulan system, designated "Romulus" by the Federation, and the capital of the Romulan Star Empire. Lit. "of the Declared". |
| ch'Rihanturn | Notation of time. |
| D'caernu'mneani | "great eye of red" in ancient High Rihannsu. Romulans named this an annexed system, which contained Berengaria VII. |
| daise | Prefix meaning "chief", "principal", "senior", "foremost" (etc.)" |
| daisemi'in | "Chief among several" (choices or candidates) |
| dathe'anofv-sen | Honor Blade, a personal weapon. |
| deihu | "elder" Title held by a member of the Romulan Senate. Regarded as an equivalent to the Terran "senator". |
| deletham | "defender" |
| dierha | Notation of time. |
| Ei e'hraaintuh na'hwiufvteh, emeihet'! | A toast used when consuming Romulan ale. |
| eisae | Notation of time, possibly hours or seconds. |
| Eisn | 128 Trianguli, the primary of the Romulan system. Lit. "homesun". |
| Eitreih'hveinn | the Farmers' Festival. |
| Ejhoi Ormiin | A Romulan dissident movement. |
| enarrain | "senior centurion" |
| erein | "ante-centurion" or "sub-centurion" |
| erei'riov | "subcommander", also captain of infantry. Usual rank of a First Officer. |
| et'Khior | The name of a month, following K'ri'lior and preceding T'ke'Tas. |
| etrehh | "machine" |
| eyhon | Road or street. |
| fvai | Child's riding-beast and house-pet. |
| fvheisn | One Romulan day, taken from "Eisn", the sun around which orbits Romulus and Remus. |
| fvillha | "Praetor" |
| galae | most specifically, "space fleet" This word originates from an enthusiastic adoption of massed airpower in Romulan history. |
| h'ta-fvau | "Come back here!" Lit. "To last-place, immediate return. |
| haerh or haerht | "cargo hold" |
| hatham | "predator" |
| haud | "writing" |
| haudet' | "computer printout" |
| Havranha | Remans, natives of the planet ch'Havran ("Remus" in Federation Standard). Pl. Havrannsu. |
| hevam | "Humans". |
| hfai, hfehan | Rihannsu word for a "bond-servant", or one who is paid but cannot choose to change employers. |
| hfihar, hfihrnn | "noble family". |
| hna'h | an imperative suffix for such commands as "fire", "go", or "energize". |
| hnafirh | "see". |
| hnafiv | "hear". |
| hnhaudr | "data transfer" |
| hnoiyika | A predatory Romulan animal. |
| hrrau | at/on/in: general locative particle or infix. |
| hru'hfe | Head-of-Household, the senior servant among domestic staff, appointed as overseer and servants' manager. |
| hru'hfirh | Head-of-House, euphemistically "the Lord". Most senior member of a noble family. |
| hveinn | Farmer. |
| hwaveyiir | "Command-executive center", the flight bridge of a ship, as opposed to the combat-control area. |
| hwiiy | sometimes imperative. |
| Jolan tru | Traditional greeting of respect. |
| K'ri'lior | The name of a month, following Khuti and preceding et'Khior. |
| kalabam | "tempest" |
| khaidoa | Notation of time, possibly months. |
| khre'rior | A vice admiral. |
| khre'riov | "commander-general" |
| Khuti | The name of a month, preceding K'ri'lior. |
| klivam | Klingon. |
| kreldanni | a "colorful" intensifier for a pronoun. (Data: "Geordi, you are a kreldanni genius!") |
| 'Latasam Stelai Rom'lnz | "Star Road of the People" |
| latrunculo | A board game. |
| Llei'hmne | "Empress" |
| lleiset | "freedom" |
| lloann'mhrahel | literally, "them, from there." Usually used to refer to individuals from the Federation. |
| llhusra | A curse word. |
| ma'l arik | Modern street language term that meant "murder". Romulan use of this can be traced in origin to the archaic Vulcan language term Manil Arek. |
| mandukar | "vigilant" |
| mat'drih | Notation of speed. |
| mnha'lli | An attack formation. |
| mnahe | "hate" -- "Mnahe afw'ein qiuu": "hate has a reason for everything." |
| 'mnhei'sahe | The Romulan concept of honor, also known as the Ruling Passion. Literally "hate-love", from mnahe (hate), and heis'he (love). |
| meminda | "talon". |
| Mol'Rihan | Literally "New Romulus". |
| nei'rrh | A venomous Romulan animal. |
| neth… nah'lai | "either...or". |
| nuhirrien | "look toward", a Romulan version of charisma. |
| n'ventnar | "bared fang" |
| oal'lhlih | to announce the arrival of someone. |
| oallea | A bug. |
| oira | "battle-control" |
| prod | "Captain" |
| qiuu | "everything". |
| ra'kholh | "avenger." |
| ralaaram ocala | "sky-fire" |
| regghai | "sir". |
| rha or rh'e | "indeed". |
| rh'iov | "Commander" |
| rihanh | "declared" |
| roan | "accomplishment" |
| rrh-thanai | the Romulan tradition of hostage fostering. |
| saavik | Diminutive term for a feline lifeform, literally "little cat". |
| seikkea kllhe | a form of curse. |
| siuren/siure | a Romulan minute (50.5 seconds). |
| sseikea | a sort of Romulan animal akin to a Terran hyena. |
| ssuaf-ha | "I understand!" |
| ssuej-d'ifv | "Do you understand?" |
| s'ten | "gallant" |
| s'ten vastam | "gallant wing" |
| sthea'hwill | "I request..." |
| T'ke'Tas | The name of a month, preceded by et'Khior. |
| T'Lent | The name of a month. |
| ta krenn | "check it out". |
| ta'khoi | "Screen off." |
| ta'rhae | "Screen on." |
| talla | "duty" |
| Tellarsu | Tellarites. |
| th'ann | "prisoner". |
| Thaessu or thhaei | Vulcans. |
| thrai or thraiin | a sort of Romulan predator. |
| tlhei | "my word" or "my command". |
| talas mosarum | "wind carrier" |
| urru | "go to..." |
| vaed'rae | "You will listen to me!" |
| vadi | Romulan language term that means "uncle". |
| vadia-lya | Romulan term that means "little niece". |
| vah-udt | "What rank?", as in "Just who do you think you are?" |
| veruul | Childish, crude, profane. After Alidar Jarok insulted Worf with Klingonese curse words, Riker replied that only a veruul would use such language in public. |
| vriha | "highest". |
| waith | country, rural area. |
| yhfi-ss'ue | "travel tubes". |
| zwaan | In Rihannsu, the verb "soar". |
Customs & Culture
In Romulan society, military/political rank influences social standing. Because Romulans were members of a militaristic civilization, who considered defending the Romulan Empire and their own personal honor of foremost importance, military service and its accompanying rank were decisive factors in determining social eminence. However, while the military played an important role in Romulan society, it was the Romulan Senate that controlled the government.
At one point in history, Romulus was a sovereign nation ruled by an Empress, as indicated by Q. By the 23rd century, the highest position of power was held by the Praetor, who presided over the Romulan Senate. The Praetor headed the Continuing Committee, which was comprised of the Empire's most elite individuals, who made decisions of the utmost importance.
By the 24th century, the government of Romulus was dependent upon the Tal Shiar, the Romulan secret police, to maintain order and stability among both civilians and the military. The Tal Shiar was known for its brutal tactics, which included routine kidnapping, torture, and assassination. Many Romulans feared even expressing dissenting opinions in order to not bring the attention of the Tal Shiar. There were also indications that tension existed between the military and the Tal Shiar.
Romulan society was based upon a highly structured caste system. Unlike most of the highly evolved species in the Alpha/Beta Quadrant, Romulans still practiced slavery, in this case of the Remans, which they used for slave labor and as shock troops.
Romulans tended to be highly xenophobic, engaging in extended periods of isolationism, and could be perceived as outright racist to other species, believing themselves to be superior. At least some Romulans believed that, one day, the Romulan Empire would rule the entire galaxy and that Humans would be extinct. According to Miles O'Brien, there was no piece of technology in existence that the Romulans didn't claim they invented before everyone else.
Both males and females could command warships, obtain high political positions, and could be members of the Tal Shiar.
Like the Vulcans, the Romulans gave up unrestrained violence as a way of life. However, in the case of the Romulans, this was replaced with a controlled deviousness: as a species, the Romulans were generally thought of as duplicitous, a reputation reinforced by the actions of their government over time. During the 23rd century, Romulans practiced the death penalty on criminals by means both painful and unpleasant. Prior to the presenting of the charges, the Romulans allowed the accused a Right of Statement.
Reluctance to rely on overt hostility generally led the Romulans to play a waiting game with their opponents, attempting to manipulate an adversary into breaking – or appearing to break – an agreement so as to give them a solid justification for striking. They were also well-known for fearing disgrace over death. With this frame of mind, Romulan parents disposed of any newborn carrying birth defects, as the alternative would mean a waste of resources.
The totalitarian nature of Romulan society, in which dissent was often a crime and Romulan security officers masqueraded as citizens, led many Romulans to be extremely paranoid.
A common Romulan courtesy was the saying "Jolan Tru", although what exactly this meant is unclear, as it was used in the context of both a greeting and farewell, much like the word "Aloha" on Earth's Hawaiian Islands.
Food and beverages
Kali-fal was a very aromatic Romulan beverage that was said to forcibly open one's sinuses well before the first sip. In 2374, Captain Benjamin Sisko offered Senator Vreenak a glass of replicated kali-fal, which the Senator found to be a "fair approximation" but "somewhat lacking in aroma."
The jumbo Romulan mollusk was a gourmet delicacy from Romulus which was unavailable on Vulcan. Quark served jumbo Romulan mollusks to the Vulcan gun runner Sakonna in 2370 during a "business meal".
An osol twist was a Romulan confection that was said to be very tart. In 2375, Romulan Senator Cretak suggested that Kira Nerys try an osol twist when she had remarked that jumja sticks were too sweet for her liking.
Romulan ale was a highly intoxicating alcoholic beverage of Romulan origin with a characteristic blue color (ranging from a pale sky blue to a dark midnight blue). It took a while to ferment and Doctor Leonard McCoy joked that he used it for "medicinal purposes." Romulan ale was a challenge even for species as stout as the Klingons, who were usually quite resistant to the effects of alcohol.
Viinerine was a traditional Romulan food served in the military. It was served aboard the IRW Khazara in 2369, during an officers' meal attended by Deanna Troi, who was posing as Major Rakal of the Tal Shiar. When it was offered to her by Commander Toreth, Troi picked up a different dish, not knowing which contained viinerine. When the Khazara's commander told her she should have tried it, Troi said that she had "smelled better viinerine on prison ships."
History
The Romulans originated from dissident Vulcans who rejected Surak's philosophy of peace, during the Time of Awakening and emigrated from their homeworld around the 4th century. They settled on the planets Romulus and Remus, subjugating the native Remans in the process. The development of warp drive enabled the Romulans to expand their state into a Star Empire.
In 2152, the Romulans came into contact with the Human starship Enterprise. Relations between the Empire and United Earth deteriorated as the Enterprise crew thwarted a Romulan plot to subvert the Vulcan High Command. Recognizing the growing threat posed by Earth, the Romulans attempted to incite war in the region by attacking civilian shipping using disguised drones. The effort, however, backfired, as their involvement was exposed by Enterprise and spurred the formation of an alliance between the Humans, Vulcans, Andorians, and Tellarites, the nucleus of what would become the United Federation of Planets.
Open war erupted between Earth and the Romulans in 2156, ending four years later with a humiliating Romulan defeat at the Battle of Cheron. An ensuing peace treaty established the Romulan Neutral Zone, after which the Romulans had no substantial contact with Humans for a century. In 2266, the Romulans tested Federation resolve by sending a Bird-of-Prey to attack Federation outposts along the Neutral Zone. The defeat of the Bird-of-Prey by the USS Enterprise averted war. During this period, the Romulans experienced a short-lived break in their enmity with the Klingons, resulting in a technological exchange between the two.
The Romulans viewed the 2293 Khitomer Accords between the Federation and the Klingon Empire unfavorably, as it shifted the balance of power against them. Escalating hostilities between the Star Empire and the Federation culminated in the Tomed Incident of 2311 and the Treaty of Algeron. The Romulans again ceased meaningful contact with the Federation, though they continued to war intermittently with the Klingons. In 2364, the Empire began to engage once more with the Federation, following a series of mysterious attacks on their Neutral Zone outposts.
For the latter part of the 2360s, the Romulans were locked in a cold war with the Federation, launching repeated probes of Federation space and subversive actions. Most significantly, they attempted to break the Federation-Klingon alliance, resulting in the Klingon Civil War, and to exploit the Vulcan reunification movement to invade Vulcan. Both plans were unsuccessful. The Empire's position shifted when violent contact with the Dominion in 2370 presented a common threat to all Alpha Quadrant powers. The Romulans collaborated with Starfleet in a limited fashion to counter the Dominion threat, though ultimately they opted to sign a nonaggression pact with the Dominion in late 2373.
In mid-2374, the Romulans were brought into the Dominion War on the Allied side through an act of subterfuge by Benjamin Sisko and Elim Garak. Romulan participation marked a turning point in the war and was critical to the defeat of the Dominion, the following year.
In the 24th century, a dissident movement began to gain momentum, based on the desire to learn about Vulcan and their ideals. The movement's ultimate goal was the reunification of Romulus and Vulcan. Ambassador Spock was deeply involved in this movement.
In the war's aftermath,in a failed plot to destroy the Federation, Romulan Praetor Shinzon was defeated at the Battle of the Bassen Rift, leaving Senator Tal’aura to take the reigns as the new Praetor of the Romulan Star Empire, with the support of Fleet Commander Tomalak. Commander Donatra of the Warbird Valdore had openly opposed the new Praetor, and began a rebellion backed by the strength of the Romulan 3rd and 5th Fleets. Additionally, the Reman people openly demanded a continent on Romulus and reparations for hundreds of years of slavery, which was denied them.
A Romulan blockade of Remus was the Praetor’s reply, as well as cutting food and medical supplies to the sister planet. Affairs within Romulan space have deteriorated quickly for the Federation; with the continued Reman upheaval and skirmishes with Donatra’s opposition fleet. Open Civil War began in 2380 when Donatra was able to capture and hold a number of key agricultural worlds, establishing the Imperial Romulan State.
Government & Military
The ruling body of the Romulan Star Empire was the Romulan Senate, with each senator representing a province. The Senate was led by the Praetor, followed by the Proconsul and then the Vice-proconsul. The Praetor also presided over the Continuing Committee, a powerful body that held authority over Senate members. Changes of government and attendant shifts in policy were not uncommon in the Empire.
The Romulan Senate dispatched ambassadors from time to time, for example Caithlin Dar to Nimbus III and Nanclus to the United Federation of Planets.
As an expansionist power, the Romulan Star Empire claimed vast tracts of space that were outside its effective authority, for example Sector 25434. These claims were not recognized by other governments. Romulans seldom gave up territory once they had seized it. In the mid-22nd century, the Romulans used cloaked mines to assert new territorial claims. The Romulans believed their destiny to be the domination of the entire Milky Way Galaxy.
In external application, Romulan political agendas appeared largely unified over the centuries. Their goals focused on maintaining Imperial security through vigilance, and negating the perceived advantages of their rivals. Both goals were accompanied by a near-paranoid reticence to reveal information, even facts as basic as their racial identity, that might illuminate other Romulan ambitions or motivations.
The Romulan military was a powerful and technologically advanced force encompassing both spacefaring and ground forces. Despite being defeated by Earth in the Earth-Romulan War of the 2150s, the Romulan Star Empire continued to be a powerful presence, not afraid to tempt Starfleet by entering the Neutral Zone. Romulan forces were a deciding factor in the Dominion War, whose entry in 2374 turned the tide of war in favor of the Allies.
Romulan military operations were supported by the War Plans Council, a high-level government agency.
Besides regular forces, the Romulan Tal Shiar also had its own fleet of starships, and were a ruthless and powerful organization within the Empire and beyond.
Romulan Technology
Romulan technology was often cited as one of the reasons why the Romulan Star Empire was regarded as such a dangerous foe in times of war. The Romulan Ministry of Science oversaw the scientific research of the Romulan Star Empire. The Romulan Astrophysical Academy was a division within the Romulan science community. The Romulans were known to have developed a multitude of different technologies that are either the first of their kind or unique to the Romulan Star Empire.
Cloaking Technology
The Romulans were the first known race to develop the cloaking device stealth technology, first observed on Romulan mines and the Romulan Bird-of-Prey in 2152.
The Romulans and the Federation long engaged in a tech war of cloak and cloak detection. In 2152, a quantum beacon proved an effective counter measure for detecting less advanced cloaks such as those found on Romulan mines, but not those on early Romulan Birds-of-Prey. In 2368, the Federation developed the tachyon detection grid, a technique that allowed for the detection of Romulan vessels of the day.
By 2379, the Star Empire had perfected the cloaking technology. The cloak of the Reman Warbird Scimitar produced no tachyon emissions and left no residual antiproton traces for detection. The Scimitar was the only vessel in the Star Empire known to have overcome the long standing problem of not being able to raise shields or fire weapons when the cloaking device was active. The only known way to counter these latest cloaks involved the use of telepathic races such as Betazoids to detect an enemy crew by sensing their thoughts.
Disruptors
Romulan energy weapons were described by Spock in 2266 as being superior to those of the Federation. The Romulans were one of three races, along with the Klingons and the Breen, who were known to use the type 3 disruptor. When fired, a Romulan disruptor left behind residual antiproton particles that remained for several hours.
Plasma Torpedoes
First known to have been used by the Romulans in 2266, plasma torpedoes were an extremely powerful but an energy-intensive weapon system. This type of high-energy plasma weapon was first encountered by Starfleet when a Romulan Bird-of-Prey destroyed several Federation outposts near the Romulan Neutral Zone.
Upon detonation, the torpedo unleashed an overpowering energy plasma that caused an implosion in the target. Even rodinium, the hardest material known to the Federation, could not withstand this kind of attack. A single torpedo was capable of catastrophic damage and its destructive potential against fortified targets was unmatched.
The torpedo was capable of going into warp, but the effective damage output decreased the longer it was in flight. If the torpedo had a flaw--it was limited by range, such as when the Bird-of-Prey fired on the USS Enterprise, the Starfleet vessel was able to maneuver out of its most effective range, so that when it did hit them, its effectiveness had dissipated and the damage to the Enterprise was fairly minor.
The only other races to have used plasma torpedoes are the Kazon and the Cardassians, but the first documented usage of plasma torpedoes by these races occurred more than a century after the Romulans, in the early 2370s.
Shields
Standard Romulan deflector shields were believed to be at least on par with those of the Federation. However, the most advanced example of shield technology in the Romulan Star Empire was present on the Scimitar, which was equipped with both primary and secondary shields. The ship endured at least thirty-two phaser hits, twenty disruptor strikes, and twenty torpedo impacts in a single engagement at the Battle of the Bassen Rift, exhausting the weapons complement of the Enterprise-E, and was still able to maintain 70% shield strength.
Self-Repair Technology
The Romulans were known to be able to equip their ships with a self-repair technology, principally used on the Romulan drone ship in 2154.
Quantum Singularity Propulsion
In the 24th century, an artificial quantum singularity served as the primary power source for large Romulan spacecraft, such as the D'deridex-class Warbird. Once activated, the singularity core could not be shut down.
Mythology
Romulan myths stated that their race was forged in Vorta Vor. Known as the Wellspring of Creation where the ancient Vhorani created their race.
Romulans believed in the Way of D'era which dictated that they were destined to rule the galaxy, which was perhaps the source of their arrogant views as well as their belief in their own superiority. It came from the teachings of Tellus, who stated that their people were the children of the Vhorani, who made the Vulcan race to become their inheritors to a great destiny of controlling the galaxy. Therefore, under these teachings, all other races were inferior to the Romulan people.
Some reports even indicated that Romulan writings that their ancestors were told by a race of great beings called the Great Brothers who were possibly the Preservers gave them a responsibility to build a Road to the Stars in order to join their gods at the end of their task. Furthermore, these stories stated that that they were given enough just to start the "Road" and that it was their duty to build upon it further, which made Romulan expansionism a religiously motivated behaviour. Their relationship with the Great Brothers was not entirely clear, but a shrine of them existed in each family temple. The dictates of D'era became the source of the Romulan concept of honor which differed greatly compared to the Klingons, for it was not a warrior-like concept, but a reflection of the accomplishments made by the individual on a family, personal and imperial level. Another concept that was viewed religiously by certain Romulans was a belief in the Elements which they believe embody the universe itself.
Interestingly, the Romulan had their own concept of a mythical creature that would die in fire and be reborn such as the Phoenix of Earth myths. It was known as Alth'Indor in the Romulan language. In addition to this, certain demons existed within Romulan beliefs. One such creature was a demon lord called Bettatan'ru who certain Romulans prayed to in order to achieve their goals. Statue representations of Bettatan'ru could be found within the Romulan Palace on Romulus where it appeared as a horned humanoid creature with cloven hooves and black fangs where red smoke emanated. It always possessed a smiling face that often portrayed it as gloating over those who approach it. Its arms were typically outstretched as if it were attempting to grab those that came before it.
Eitreih'hveinn, or the "Farmer's Festival", was one of nine major religious festivals on the Romulan calendar. This holiday was started to honor domestic produce. On this day, only priest-sanctioned food may be eaten.
Source 1: Memory Alpha
Source 2: Memory Alpha
Source 3: Memory Alpha
Source 4: Memory Beta
