Ab Aenea Ad Romulum et Remum

AENEAS Aeneas as we already saw is foundational in Roman myth for bringing the ‘Romans’ to Italy, before they were Romans, before there was a Rome. While this is a part of Roman myth, it was also very much a part of history for the ancient Romans. Livy, the most popular of all ancient Roman historians began his histories about at this point, basically where Vergil’s Aeneid leaves off.

ASCANIUS OR IULUS According to Vergil Ascanius and Iulus are two names for the same person. Livy says that this is one story, but that there are other who claim that Iulus was a second son, born to Aeneas’ new Italian wife. Iulus is said to have inherited the rule of Lavinium (where Aeneas ruled) as a child. But when he was old enough to rule for himself, he left to found a new city. Because he founded it on the long, broad slope of the Alban hills, it became known as Alba Longa.

NUMITOR & AMULIUS For many generations, the descendents of Iulus ruled Alba Longa. Most of them had the cognomen Silvius. Eventually rule came to the hands of Numitor, but his younger brother Amulius overthrew him and ran him out of town. To make sure he would not be challenged or avenged, he threw Numitor’s daughter, Rhea Silvia, into the priestesshood of Vesta, after killing Numitor’s son.

RHEA SILVIA But she managed to conceive twins anyway. She claimed that she had been raped by the god Mars. Livy says that this is possible, but it may also be that she was trying to hide the fact that she broke her oath of virginity. The punishment for this was to be buried alive.

RHEA SILVIA Amulius order her twin boys killed as soon as they were born. A servant left them to be exposed by the Tiber, but they survived. A she-wolf, lupa, suckled them until they were found by a local farmer.

ROMULUS & REMUS When the boys grew up they became known for cleaning out the countryside of robbers and other criminals. During this, their enemies managed to capture Remus and hand him over to king Amulius saying that he had attacked Numitor’s lands. Since they crime was against Numitor, Amulius sent Remus to his brother to be punished.

ROMULUS & REMUS Numitor realized that Remus who had a twin brother was about the same age as his grandsons would have been. EUREKA! At the same time, Romulus who was ready to go rescue his brother was told by the shepherd what the shepherd had always suspected.

ROMULUS & REMUS And so the boys learned their identities. Both of them attacked Amulius (with a little help from their friends) and killed him. Numitor was restored to the throne.

ROMULUS & REMUS The twins weren’t content to just sit afterward. The young men decided to found a new city. But who gets to name it? Who would be king? The older brother would be king... But which one was older? No one knew! They decided to let the gods pick.

ROMULUS & REMUS They did this by watching the birds. The signs were called auguries.

ROMULUS & REMUS Each went to sit on different hills that would later be hills in Rome. Remus returned first. He claimed to have seen 6 vultures. People interpreted this as a sign that Remus would rule.

ROMULUS & REMUS Romulus came back claiming that he had seen 12 vultures. Some say that each of the vultures represented a century of the new city. Rome founded 753 BCE Rome sacked 476 CE TOTAL = 1229 years

ROMULUS & REMUS Remus and co. said he won, because he saw his birds first. Romulus and co. said he won because he saw more birds. Romulus started digging a trench for fortifications, and Remus mocked him, jumping over the ditch.

ROMULUS & REMUS Romulus solved his irritating brother problem by killing Remus.

ROMULUS Thus Romulus founded Rome and became its first king in 753 BCE. This kicks off the period of kings which lasted from 753 to 510/509, and was comprised of 7 kings.

KINGS Romulus Numa Pompilius Tullus Hostilius Ancus Marcius Lucius Tarquinius Priscus Servius Tullius Lucius Tarquinius Superbus

KINGS Different kings are famous for various famous acts… Romulus for founding Rome, naming it, stealing the Sabine women, leading Rome to victory in war over its Sabine neighbors Numa for reigning in peace for his whole term of power, establishing Rome’s religious values and traditions, consorting with a goddess.

KINGS The next two kings were mostly famous for expanding Rome’s power through war with neighbors. Tarquinius Priscus was the first of the Etruscan kings of Rome. This seems a little strange that the Romans would have kings that weren’t Roman, but it was already a tradition in place. Numa and Ancus Marcius were Sabines, and Romulus certainly was not born Roman. Among other things, Tarquinius is famous for laying out the foundation of the Circus Maximus.

KINGS This time period reflects a real time in Roman history when the Romans were subject to a lot of Etruscan influence, and perhaps even direct control, such as kings.

KINGS Of all the kings, Servius Tullius is unique in that he is the one character that many historians believe actually existed.

KINGS In some ways the last of the seven kings was the most important. Lucius Tarquinius Superbus or Tarquin the Proud, is every bit as foundational to Roman history as Romulus since he signifies the end of kings and the beginning of the republic.

KINGS Tarquinius Superbus was bad news from the start. He was the son of Tarquinius Priscus, and the son in law of Servius Tullius. He ignored the interregnum period in which the Roman senate would choose a new king and had been part of the plot to assassinate Tullius. His tyranny came to an end when his son Sextus raped a woman named Lucretia, wife of Lucius Tarquinius Collatinus.

LUCRETIA She was a noble woman and, according to Livy, a very respectable one. After she was abused by the kings son, she gathered her family to tell them about it. Then she killed herself out of shame.

THE REPUBLIC Her brother Lucius Junius Brutus (a supposed ancestor of the Brutus that killed Caesar) led the revolt against Tarquin and his family which led to the founding of THE REPUBLIC.