The Founding of Rome

1. The Founding of Rome Aeneas and Romulus

2. Aeneas • Ancient Romans liked to trace their roots to a famous Trojan prince, Aeneas. • The myth teaches that Aeneas was directed by the gods to travel west after Troy fell. • Aeneas is said to have lead a few remaining Trojans to safety this way.

3. The Latins • When Aeneas and his followers arrived in modern-day Italy they encountered a group called the Latins who lived in Latium. • The two groups intermarried and lived in harmony. • Aeneas founded the city Lavinium in the kingdom of Latium. Lavinium is named after Aeneas’s new Latin wife, Lavinia. • Aeneas’s son, Ascanius founded the nearby city of Alba Longa.

5. Rhea Silvia • Family Tree: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amulius • King Numitor was dethroned by his brother Amulius in Alba Longa. • Amulius makes Numitor’s daughter, Rhea Silvia a Vestal Virgin to keep her from having children. • Around 800 BC, Rhea Silvia, is said to have given birth to twins fathered by the god Mars.

6. The Twins • The newborn twins, Romulus and Remus, were thrown into the Tiber River. • The god of the Tiber River, Tiberinus, gave the babies to a she-wolf (lupa). The she-wolf raised them as her own. • One form of the myth also says a woodpecker helped to feed the twins.

7. Rescue by Shepherd • The she-wolf was later killed by a shepherd, Faustulus. • Fortunately, the shepherd found the babies and took them home to his wife, Acca Larentia.

8. Romulus and Remus • When they grew up, they overthrew Amulius and reinstated Numitor. • Romulus and Remus decided to build a city on the Tiber River. • They fought over who should rule the city. After a lot of arguing, they decided to let the gods choose between them. • They each stood atop a hill waiting for a sign. The gods sent 12 vultures over Palatine where Remus stood and 12 eages over the Capitoline where Romulus stood.

9. Romulus is King • Romulus began to build walls on the Capitoline which Remus mocked. • Romulus kills Remus in the ensuing fight. • Romulus became king of the new city which he named Rome (after himself).

10. Early Rome • Romulus populates Rome with criminals and outcasts (i.e. men). • Romulus throws a festival for Neptune which neighboring kingdoms attend. • Romulus and the Romans kidnap the women of the Sabine tribe. • The Sabines, led by their king, Titus Tatius, fight Rome. • Romulus marries Titus Tatius’s daughter Hersilia.

11. The War with the Sabines • The Romans almost lose the war because of the traitor Tarpeia, daughter of Spurius Tarpeius, governor of the citadel of the Capitoline hill. • Tarpeia agreed to open the gates of Rome for the Sabines in exchange for “what is on their arms” (she thinks gold bracelets), but the Sabines killed Tarpeia with their shields then through her off a rock which is then named for her (Tarpeian Rock).

12. Sabine War Continued • The Sabines occupy the Capitoline Hill and push the Romans to the Palatine Hill. • Romulus offers to build a temple to Jupiter Stator if they win. • Romulus leads them out to fight again. • The Sabine women come into the battle and beg for the men to stop fighting. • Romulus and Titus Tatius agree to merge the kingdoms and rule jointly. • The Sabines occupy the Capitoline Hill.

13. The Sabine Women Enforcing Peace by Running Between the Combatants – Jacque-Louis David Tarpeian Rock Romulus Titus Tatius Hersilia Hersilia and Romulus’s children?

14. The End of Romulus • Romulus ruled for 37 years. • In a storm, Romulus disappeared and the Romans claimed he ascended to Mt. Olympus as a god. • Romulus, as a war god, was renamed Quirinus and the hill on which he disappeared was named Quirinal after Romulus. • Hersilia was so upset that she asked to be taken as well and was made a god named Hora.

15. Later Kings • Romulus • Numa Pompilius • Tullus Hostilius • Ancus Marius • Tarquinius Priscus • Servius Tullius • Tarquinius Superbus