Ancient Rome/Germania

Ancient Rome/Germania
Germania and Rome in the Grandpa Rome's Visit Home comic
Character 1	Ancient Rome
Character 2	Germania
Type	Homosexual
Canon?	No
Canon Interaction?	Yes
Popularity	Uncommon
Incestuous?	No

Ancient Rome/Germania is an uncommon pairing involving Ancient Rome and Germania. A ship name for them is GerRome, a portmanteau of Germania and Rome. Though this and other ship names have the possibility to be confusing, as there are other characters with similar names (Germany, Romano, Romania), so many fans just call them something like Germania x Rome.

Relationship

Despite the fact that they have a rocky relationship at times, they are also known to be very good friends, and almost all of Germania's appearances in canon material involve Rome.

It is known that Germania was Rome's bodyguard for a while, though the exact timeline of when he had this job is unknown but it likely was at some point during the imperial period at least. Germania was also supposedly the person who dealt a death blow to Rome, though this is likely a reference to the Germanic invasions of Rome in the 400s CE and beyond, and the truth about the characters themselves is unknown. In fact, it is likely Rome did continue to live as the Eastern Roman Empire/Byzantine Empire since they still considered themselves Romans.

Germania and Rome in Himaruya's 'Sleepy' art series on his blog.

It is shown in the anime and manga that Germania is often annoyed by Rome, for example how he always talks about wine, women, and fighting and not much else. Once, when Rome felt depressed because he lost a fight, Germania tried to cheer him up, telling that Rome could win the next time. Rome immediately becomes, much to Germania's annoyance, happy again. Germania also likes to tease and make fun of Rome, doing so since they were kids. We also see another example of this in the Persia and the Two Kings comic. There are also instances of Rome poking fun at him as well. In World Stars Chapter 21, Rome mentions to the Julio-Claudian Emperors that he has met a lot of cute girls (Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, and Pontus) and then specifies that Germania and Persia are not cute. However in the Collezione this is also mentioned, and it is added that despite Rome not thinking they are cute, "it is a relationship that tingles the right hand" (a rough translation), which can be interpreted in several ways.

Germania and Rome as children

Germania and Rome are also shown to have known each other for a very long time, since they were young children. In the blog comic 'Germania and' (and its redrawn version in the Hetalia Copy Book), Rome teases Germania, trying to get him to smile but Germania refuses. Rome then reminisces about when they were children and says that Germania used to smile more back then when he was picking on Rome, which Germania denies and says Rome only thought he was smiling. Then the comic shows the child forms of Rome and Germania again (presumably taking place at some point in the monarchal days of Rome or maybe even earlier, but the date is unknown), with Germania making fun of Rome by calling him shrimpy and weak. Rome responds that he doesn't know who he is, but he should shut up. The comic then flashes back to the future, where the adult Rome and Germania are arguing on whether Germania's personality has changed from when they were kids.

Germania and Rome in Grandpa Rome's Visit Home

One of the most important comics revolving around Germania and Rome is Grandpa Rome's Visit Home, which involves Rome and Germania going from the nation afterlife back to earth to walk around the city of Rome. Rome wanted to go check on his grandsons and return home, so he asked God if he could and God said yes if he has a guard with him. Rome asks to have a girl with big boobs be his guard, but he gets Germania instead (who has large pectoral muscles). Rome is upset about this, though he does admit Germania wasn't exactly an incorrect choice. Germania and Rome then walk around the modern city of Rome together. Rome remarks that all the temples and basilicas are gone, though he expected it, and that there are fewer buildings than the last time he was there. Germania states that's just the way things are now. Then Rome spots an area that triggers a flashback to a bustling street from his youth, and he suddenly remembers that his old house is nearby. Germania seems a bit surprised that Rome remembers, to which Rome then says the house is a majestic mansion with a statue of him on top. But the two then find that the house is completely gone, and there is a bench where the entrance doorway used to be. Rome gets very emotional, hugging the bench and crying about his house being gone. Germania tells him he's being embarrassing, and then yells at him to stop, and he does. Then the two sit on the bench and talk. Rome has accepted his house is gone, and Germania quips that it was the statue's fault. Rome rebuts, but then begins to get introspective, mentioning how there are so many things he should have done in life that he never did, like going to the nearby theater. He never ended up going despite meaning to, and says that if there are no records they would never know what shows even played there. Germania disagrees, and then comforts Rome by saying that he had splendor and wealth that is unparallelled even among other nations, and that the things he left behind still fascinate people and that he has a legacy, his children, who still live on. He also says that Rome has "attained the eternal peace that comes with being liberated from your boss and from war" and that he has nothing to regret. Rome then smiles genuinely at him, feeling reassured. This comic shows us that they are true friends despite their bickering, and also gives us some insight into what nations may do after their nations fade away and they die, and also how they view death.

In Fanon

Rome and Germania are often depicted in fanworks as the fathers/grandfathers of the Italy Brothers and German Brothers respectfully. Rome's children are North Italy, South Italy, Seborga, and Genoa, though the latter is often not included in many fanworks. Characters like Greece or Romania are also considered his family by some fans. Germania's children are Germany and Prussia, as well as Holy Roman Empire and other German states (such as Bavaria, Saxony, and Hesse). Austria and Switzerland are two other nations who he himself said are his family.

Moments

Manga

• Reverse Countdown Comic
• Grandpa Rome and Spartacus
• Together with Grandpa Rome (Hetalia: Axis Powers Volume 2)
• 2011 Halloween Overflow – Page 2
• 2011 Christmas – Requests Page 1
• 2011 Christmas – Requests Page 2
• Grandpa Rome’s Visit Home
• Germania and (Blog Post)
• Hetalia Copy Book Page 10 (Redraw of Germania and)
• Hetalia World ☆ Stars Jump SQ 2015 Mar Issue - Spin-off Chapter Part 2
• [Request] Love? Hate? (Blog Post)
• Persia and the Two Kings (Blog Comic Version)
• Persia and the Two Kings (Redrawn Hetalia: World Stars Chapter 55 Version)

Anime

• Episode 60
• Episode 61