Romulus and Remus are the legendary brothers who founded Rome. According to legend, they were the children of the Vestal Virgin Rhea Silvia and the god Mars. According to Titus Livy, Romulus was the first king of Ancient Rome (753 - 716 BC).
The mother of Romulus and Remus, Rhea Silvia, was the daughter of the legitimate king of Alba Longa Numitor, who was removed from the throne by his younger brother Amulius. Amulius did not want Numitor’s children to interfere with his ambitious plans: Numitor’s son disappeared during a hunt, and Rhea Silvia was forced to become a vestal virgin, which doomed her to 30 years of celibacy. In the fourth year of her service, Mars appeared to her in the sacred grove, from whom Rhea Silvia gave birth to two brothers. The enraged Amulius took her into custody, and ordered the babies to be put in a basket and thrown into the Tiber. However, the basket washed ashore at the foot of the Palatine Hill, where they were nursed by a she-wolf, and the mother’s cares were replaced by the arrival of a woodpecker and lapwing. Subsequently, all these animals became sacred to Rome. Then the brothers were picked up by the royal shepherd Faustul. His wife, Akka Larentia, who had not yet been consoled after the death of her child, took the twins into her care.
When Romulus and Remus grew up, they returned to Alba Longa, where they learned the secret of their origin. They killed Amulius and restored their grandfather Numitor to the throne.
Four years later, at the behest of their grandfather, Romulus and Remus went to the Tiber to look for a place to found a new colony, Alba Longa. According to legend, Remus chose the lowland between the Palatine and Capitoline hills, but Romulus insisted on founding a city on the Palatine Hill. Appeal to signs did not help, a quarrel broke out, during which Romulus killed his brother.
Repenting of the murder of Remus, Romulus founded a city to which he gave his name (Latin Roma), and became its king. The founding date of the city is considered to be April 21, 753 BC. e., when a furrow was drawn around the Palatine Hill with a plow, marking the border of the city. According to medieval legend, the city of Siena was founded by the son of Remus, Senius.
Romulus is credited with creating the Senate, which at that time consisted of 100 “fathers.” He also established the insignia of supreme power, established the position of lictors, divided the people into 30 curiae, according to the names of Sabine women, and established three tribes: Ramnes (Latins), Titii (Sabines) and Luceri (Etruscans). He is also credited with dividing the Romans into patricians and plebeians.
Roman mythology describes the death of Romulus as a supernatural disappearance. However, it looks like he was simply killed.
It is generally accepted that Romulus ascended to heaven on July 5, 717 BC. e. The exact date of birth of Romulus and Remus is known only approximately: around 771 BC. e. After his death, Romulus was identified with the Sabine god Quirinus, who was considered the peaceful hypostasis of Mars.
After Romulus, Numa Pompilius became king of Rome.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru