The roots of the family go back to Sicily in 1228-9, where it was known under the name ‘De Regoli’. Federico de Regoli, a General in the service of  Emperor Federico II (Barbarossa)  was sent in a mission to  meet Pope Gregorious III in  Rome  to negotiate details in relation with the Crusades in Palestine. The  outcome of the meeting was not successful and General Federico de Regoli fearing the wrath of the Emperor hesitated to return to Sicily and  remained in Rome. In 1388 Giovanni de Regoli arrived in Vicenza where he was registered among the Nobles  of the City. In order to avoid confusion with another, homonymous, family of Vicenza, he added the ‘Da Roma’(From Rome) to his name. Later on the family  started to omit the ‘Regoli’ and they were named De Roma.

In the year 1548 Galeazzo Regolo da Roma after a deadly conflict with the Valmarana Family left Visenza and went to Corfu where he remained for a short period and then he went to Crete. Bernardino de Roma was distinguished in the wars of Venice in Italy and in Crete, against the Othomans where he was killed in 1551 by the Turks.

The founder of the Zakynthian branch of the family was Curzio Roma (1581-1642) who came and settled on the Island on about 1610. Since then the family remained in Zakynthos .On the year 1621 they were registered in the ‘Libro d’Oro  ( a list of Nobles) and members of the family were active in the local community designating a series of distinguished military, political and cultural figures. Among them distinguished military leaders, like Muzzio (1629-1670), commander of the Zakynthian Galley, who played an important role in the siege of Candia from the Turks (1645-1669) or Francesco, who participated in the second siege of Corfu (1716) along with his own mercenary corps consisting of 500 men. For his action Francesco was created Count on 1728.

The Roma family, contrary to other historical families of the Ionian Islands, continued to be present in social and political life both under the English Protection (1814-1864) and also after the unification of Ionian Islands with Greece. The role of Count Dionisios de Romas during the Greek War of Independence, his close friendship with Th. Kolokotronis and many of the political and military leaders of Greece as well as in Europe, is well known. Count Dionisios de Roma was proposed in the National Assembly of Trizinia, by Negris, as the first Governor of Greece but finally I. Kapodistrias was elected. D. Romas was   honored for his services to the Nation by  the first King of Greece, Otto. He is also considered as the founder of the Greek Freemasonry.

The three next generations played  important role in the political and cultural
life of  the Ionian State as well as  of the Greek  Kingdom (Chairmen of the Ionian State, deputies and ministers of the Greek Kingdom, etc). Alexander Romas (1863-1914), Chairman of the Greek Parliament (1897-1902-1909), Minister of education, and Minister of Justice.

----------------------------------------------

a) Diploma dated 1913 in the Roma Mansion showing the blazon of Nicolas Regolo da Roma from Vicenza, courtier of Louis IA’ (1423-1483). The blazon is found in the Armorial General,  a large collection of blazons and emblems which was written in the period of Louis 14th  (1638-1715) The shield is painted black with a Unicorn in gold and purple ( a mythological animal which is shown as a horse with a horn, beard of goat and nails of ox ). In the dictum we can read Respice firem (Contemplate the end).

b)A signet with the Roma’s blazon. In this design the two-headed eagle stands as support to a shield with black and white squares (like a chest board) and a red sash (a belt which run across the shield from the top left to the bottom right). On top of the blazon is the crown of count, (nine tips ending with howlers).

*Dionisis  Romas, '‘The lamentation of Candia'’ Athens 1982 page 505-6.