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Romulus and Remus 8/30/13 World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras print page close window Romulus and Remus The legendary founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus were twin sons of the war god Mars and Rhea Silvia, daughter of Numitor. When Amulius, Rhea Silvia's uncle, usurped the throne of Alba Longa from Numitor, he forced Rhea Silvia to become a Vestal Virgin so as not to bear any heirs that might one day lay claim to the throne. Nevertheless, Mars impregnated Rhea Silvia, and she gave birth to Romulus and Remus, after which Amulius ordered her imprisoned and the twins drowned in the Tiber River. However, the basket in which the boys were carried down the river ran ashore on a riverbank in the shade of the Ruminalis fig tree. There, the children were discovered and suckled by a she-wolf, Luperca, whose strange behavior attracted the attention of the shepherd Faustulus. Finding the infants, he took them home, where they were cared for by his wife, Acca Larentia. As the boys grew up, they took to attacking bandits and relieving them of their ill-gotten gains, which they divided among the poor shepherds. The robbers retaliated by laying a trap to kidnap the twins but succeeded only in nabbing Remus, whom they took to Amulius, complaining that he and his brother had been raiding the lands of the exiled Numitor. Amulius sent Remus to Numitor, who discovered the twins' identities. The brothers then assassinated Amulius and restored Numitor to his rightful position. As the population of Alba Longa had grown, the twins decided they should found a new settlement on the spot where they had been exposed and then given a home. However, they could not decide who should name the new city, so they consulted the augurs. Romulus stood on the Palatine Hill while Remus stood on the Aventine Hill, where he soon saw six vultures. No sooner had this been reported than Romulus saw 12. Each was acclaimed king, but a fight broke out, and Remus was killed. A variant on this story says that Remus mocked Romulus and sacrilegiously leaped over the half-built walls of his brother's new city. Furious, Romulus killed him, swearing that the same fate awaited all those who dared leap his walls. Having murdered his brother, Romulus reigned alone and created a sanctuary on the Capitoline Hill, where any fugitive might find refuge. That plan was so successful that it soon led to an imbalance between men and women, and even though Romulus sought marriage alliances with various neighboring states and cities, all his advances were rejected. Therefore, at the annual harvest festival in honor of Italian god of agriculture Consus, when Sabine visitors flocked to Rome, he ordered that all the young women among them should be taken captive. Furious, Titus Tatius, king of the Sabines, led an army against Rome and encircled the Capitoline Hill. There, Tarpeia, daughter of the Roman garrison commander, looked down on the besieging forces and was impressed by the gold jewelry and other adornments they wore. She sent a secret message to Titus Tatius saying that she would let them into the citadel by night in return for all the Sabines wore on their left arms. That proposal being agreed upon, she carried out her half of the bargain, but when the time came for payment, the Sabines crushed her with their shields in an episode that demonstrated the Sabines' feeling that a traitor should never be trusted or rewarded. The Sabines now attacked Romulus under the leadership of their champion, Mettius Curtius, but he was overconfident, and his horse foundered in the swamps on the site of what later became the Forum. Distraught with grief at the continuing conflict, the Sabine wives of the Romans interposed between the two armies and won a truce. ancienthistory.abc-clio.com.ezproxy.elmbrookschools.org/Search/Display/577429?sid=577429&cid=0&view=print 1/2 8/30/13 World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras It was then agreed that the two groups, the Romans and Sabines, should unite under a single government led by Romulus and Titus Tatius. The latter died before Romulus, who then ruled alone. His rule came to an end during a storm when his father, Mars, descended and carried him off to the heavens. Thereafter, he was worshipped as the god Quirinus, a member of the supreme triumvirate that includes Jupiter and Mars. Later, in a story clearly invented to glorify the origins of the Julian family, it was said that Julius Proculus, a friend of Romulus, was out riding when he was confronted by Romulus' ghost wearing shining armor. When Julius Proculus asked why his friend had deserted Rome, Romulus explained that the gods had decided that those on earth who were of divine descent, like Julius Proculus and himself, should ultimately return to the heavens. Select Citation Style: MLA MLA "Romulus and Remus." World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras. ABC-CLIO, 2013. Web. 30 Aug. 2013. back to top Entry ID: 577429 ancienthistory.abc-clio.com.ezproxy.elmbrookschools.org/Search/Display/577429?sid=577429&cid=0&view=print 2/2.
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