What tribe founded the city of Rome. A Brief History of Ancient Rome

According to legend, Rome was founded on April 21, 753 BC. This happened on the banks of the Tiber River - as historians write, about 22 km from its mouth, in the delta, which would later become the port of Ostia. Ostia was founded by King Ancus Marcius in view of the presence of rich salt mines here, and also in order to prevent enemy ships from penetrating Rome along the river.

At the same time, the same historians believe that the tradition of April 21 should be questioned. “There was no such initial moment when the scattered villages of the iron and Bronze Age in the hills they would decide to unite and call themselves a city,” writes art historian and art critic Robert Hughes. - How older city, the more doubts its origin, and Rome is definitely old. However, this did not stop the Romans from the 2nd century BC. and further to name the implausibly exact dates of its occurrence: Rome, as stated earlier, did not just arise in the 8th century BC, namely, in 753 BC, and its founder was Romulus, the twin brother of Remus. Thus begins a confused tradition that exists in many versions and usually revolves around the same motives: it is ambition, patricide, fratricide, betrayal, and again all-consuming ambition. Especially the last one. There has never been a more ambitious city than Rome, and probably never will be, although New York can argue with it on this. And no other city was so savage from the start as Rome, which brings us back to the tradition of its mythical infancy.”

The legend says: once the beautiful Rhea Silvia, who took a vow of celibacy, met the god of war Mars and gave birth to twins from him - Romulus and Remus. Rhea's uncle, King Amulius, became angry and gave the order to execute the dissolute niece, and put the newborn boys in a basket and throw them into the Tiber.

According to the historian Titus Livius, the basket with babies was washed ashore, and there the she-wolf found the dirty and wet twins, who fed them with her milk. According to some versions, a woodpecker and a lapwing (a small bird of the plover family) also took care of Romulus and Remus. Interestingly, later the Romans began to consider the lapwing an ominous bird. In the famous "Satyricon" by Petronius the Arbiter, there is a saying "Malam parram pilavit" ("I plucked a bad cygalitsa (pigalitsa)"), which meant - no luck, got into an unpleasant situation.

When the kids grew up and got stronger, they were brought up by the royal shepherd Faustul. The boys matured by leaps and bounds, and soon they overthrew their treacherous relative Amulius. Rhea Sylvia was already dead by that time.

Then the twins decided to establish a settlement on the Tiber, but the brothers could not choose the exact location. Remus chose between the Aventine and Capitoline hills, and Romulus insisted on the Palatine Hill. And here again different versions of the legend arise: according to the first, the twins sat down with their backs to each other and began to wait for signs from above. Remus saw six kites soaring in the sky, and Romulus saw twelve. The victory was on the side of Romulus (by the way, twelve kites will symbolize the twelve years of Roman power).

The second version is much more bloodthirsty: a dispute broke out between the brothers, and Romulus killed Remus, and then founded the city, which he gave his name to.

“So, the first founder of the earthly city was a fratricide who, out of envy, killed his brother, a citizen of the eternal city, a wanderer on this earth (Gen. 4), the Christian theologian and philosopher Aurelius Augustine would later write. — It is not surprising that after so much time, at the founding of that city that was to become the head of this earthly city of which we speak, and to reign over so many peoples, there was a kind of imitation of this first example, or, as the Greeks say, archetype. For here too, as one of their poets mentions the villainy itself, "the first walls, alas, were stained with brotherly blood."

This is how Rome was founded, judging by the evidence of Roman history about the murder of his brother Remus by Romulus. The only difference is that they were both citizens of an earthly city. Both of them sought the glory of creating the Roman Republic; but both together could not have such glory as each of them could have if they were alone. For whoever wants to be famous for his domination, rules the less than with a large number accomplices shares its power. So, in order to alone have all the power in his hands, a comrade was killed, and through this villainy increased in worst that which, without being stained by crime, would be lesser but better. But those brothers, Cain and Abel, did not have the same desire for earthly things, and the one who killed his brother did not envy him because his dominion could become less if both of them dominated (for Abel did not seek dominion in that city , which was founded by his brother); he envied that devilish envy, which evil people envy the good only because they are good, while they are evil...

When founding Rome, the surviving twin brother harnessed a cow and a bull to a plow and plowed a furrow. This furrow was called pomerium, and it was she who marked the sacred line of the city walls.

“History does not tell how Romulus felt after killing his only brother: however, it may be no coincidence that the priests, who in subsequent years periodically ran around the pomerium, in order to thereby ensure the fertility of the Roman herds and Roman women, were called Luperci, that is, “ brotherhood of the wolf,” writes Robert Hughes.

At first, Romulus was the only inhabitant of the newly founded city, but soon he decided to invite the dregs of society - murderers, runaway slaves, exiles. Later, the hill on which these scum found shelter would be called the Capitol. The Capitol Temple will be built on the Capitol, where meetings of the Senate and popular assemblies will take place.

This legend of runaway slaves and murderers, according to historians, suggests that Rome was not created by an ethnically homogeneous tribe.

In the early years in Rome there were not enough representatives of the fair sex, and then Romulus decided to arrange a holiday in honor of the god-caretaker of the grain reserves, Kons. Sabines (the people of the Italian group) came to the holiday. At a moment when all the guests were passionate about games, Romulus gave his people a sign, and they attacked the guests and captured their women. During the turmoil that arose, Romulus himself profited - he grabbed the Sabine Hersilia, whom he soon took as his wife. It is curious that later they began to believe that the wedding with the ritual of bride kidnapping became a Roman custom from that time.

According to legend, after the death of Romulus, Hersilia came to his grave, and at that time a star descended from the sky and lit her hair, as a result of which the widow herself turned into a star and ascended to heaven.

The priestess of the goddess Vesta Rhea gave birth to two twin boys. Their father was not a man, but the god Mars. Amulius was ordered to drown the babies in the waters of the Tiber, the basket with the children in the river. However, they did not die. The she-wolf found the boys. She dragged the children to a lair on the slopes of Capitol Hill and nursed them with her milk. Postuchus adopted them and gave them the names Romulus and Remus. The brothers grew up and learned the secret of their birth.

On the top of the Palatine Hill, the brothers decided to found new town. Romulus made a deep furrow with a plow, marking the border of the future city. This border was considered sacred and impregnable. Rem foolishly jumped over it. Romulus, beside himself with anger, killed his brother and shouted: "So it will be with everyone who dares to cross the walls of my city." Romulus became the first king of the city he founded. The city was named after him Rome (in Latin - Roma).

Roman civilization arose on the Apennine Peninsula. The south of the peninsula was famous for its beautiful pastures, where herds of cattle grazed. The Greeks called these lands "country of calves" - Italy. Later this name was given to the entire peninsula. Among the Italic tribes that settled in the middle part of the peninsula, the Latin tribe played the most important role in the history of Roman civilization. They inhabited Latium - an area in the lower reaches of the Tiber River. In this place, on seven hills on the left bank of the river, a city arose that was destined to become "the master of the world."

The structure of the Roman state

The Roman rulers were originally kings. The king issued laws, administered justice, commanded the army.

Then the Romans chose a republic as their state structure (translated from Latin - a common cause). Power in the Roman Republic belonged to the National Assembly, the Senate and elected officials. The Senate announced the recruitment of troops, received foreign ambassadors, proposed new laws for discussion by the People's Assembly.

The consuls commanded the army, presided over the senate, and decided the most important state affairs. Praetors were in charge of the courts in the Roman state. The aediles were responsible for order in the markets, streets and public buildings. The quaestors were in charge of the city treasury. Censors compiled lists of senators, monitored the observance of customs and traditions.

The population of Rome was divided into two large groups. Noble Romans, who were descendants of the first senators, were called patricians. Ordinary people who had an humble origin were called plebeians.

A "sacred law" was adopted on the election of special plebeian defenders - people's tribunes. The people's tribune had the right to stop the action of any official by uttering the word "veto", which meant "forbid".

Emperors of Rome

The most famous emperor of Rome is Gaius Julius Caesar. Fate endowed him with many talents: he was a skillful and far-sighted politician, a brilliant writer, a great commander, purposeful. Having become governor in one of the provinces of Rome, Caesar began a war with the old enemies of Rome - the Gauls. It took Caesar several years to conquer Gaul. Caesar's legionnaires set foot on the soil of Germany, Britain. Caesar with his soldiers approached the Rubicon River, which separated the Gallic provinces from Italy. With the words "The die is cast!" he ordered his soldiers to begin the crossing. Caesar returned in triumph to Rome. The benevolence of Caesar could not hide his great lust for power. He became the sole ruler of the Roman state, a dictator for life.

After the death of Caesar, Octavian became the sole ruler of the Roman state, he renounced dictatorial powers. The Senate gave him the title of Augustus. Before his death, Augustus transferred power to his general Tiberius.

The next emperor, Gaius Caligula, declared himself a god, resorted to mass executions, demanded that his beloved horse be elected consul.

Emperor Nero, who was a real tyrant, distinguished himself with even greater eccentricities. He ordered to kill his mother, wife, many of his advisers. He forced his teacher, the philosopher Seneca, to commit suicide. Nero was so hated by the Romans that when Rome was devastated by a terrible fire, rumor attributed the disaster to the emperor.

Emperor Mark Ulpiy Troyan was a talented commander.

Marcus Aurelius, the last of the Five Good Emperors, was forced to repel the barbarian hordes.

The history of Rome is complex and confusing. But we will turn to the origins, to the foundation of Rome and its most interesting legends.

Rome was founded in 753 BC. e., but long before that, other tribes lived here. Archaeological excavations have revealed to us the remains of settlements from the 12th century BC, but myths speak of even more ancient times. According to legend, the gods lived here, one of them, Janus, bestowed his hospitality on Saturn himself (Greek Kronos), who was overthrown from Olympus. He became the first ruler of the Capitol Hill, founding a settlement that lived in peace and happiness, without slavery and want.

Here, on the nearby hill of Palatine, the terrible Cacus lived, keeping everyone around in fear, but Hercules was able to defeat him. Yes, he was here too and had to fight the ugly fire-breathing monster in order to regain the stolen bulls of Gerion. On this hill, in memory of the feat of Hercules, there is still Kakieva stairs, and recently the remains of an altar dedicated to Hercules were found nearby.

In Rome, myths and legends are resurrected, intertwined, reviving history. We all remember that Rome was founded by the twins Romulus and Remus but where did they come from? Let's go back to the origins.

We need to remember another legendary hero - Aeneas son of Venus, goddess of love. The Trojan War… Troy is burned… On the advice of the gods, Aeneas sets off with the surviving Trajans on ships to found a new city, they sailed long years, stopping at Carthage, past the coast of the Odyssey, where they even saw the Cyclops walking along the coast.

When the Trajans landed at the mouth of the Tiber, the gods gave them a sign that this was the land they were striving for. The kingdom of Latium was here (hence the modern name of the region Latium), and its ruler was looking for a groom for his daughter. Being the son of Venus, Aeneas easily charmed a young girl, and after long obstacles described by Virgil in the Aeneid, he married her. For 200 years, the descendants of Aeneas ruled these parts in the city of Alba Longa, until the mercenary Amulius overthrew his older brother and legitimate king Numitor, and he gave his daughter Ray Sylvia into the service of the goddess Vesta, her priestess, vestals, the entire period of service had to keep lunch celibacy. The girl thus no longer posed a danger, because she would not have to give birth to legitimate heirs. If only the god Mars had not met her in the forests and, enchanted by her beauty, would not have mastered her. We can only believe the words of the girl, although perhaps it was a simple warrior, or maybe Ray Sylvia had sympathy for him ...

This is how they are born Rumulus and Rem, the descendants of Venus and the children of Mars. It is unthinkable to leave the legitimate heirs alive, and their murder is entrusted to the peasant Faustil, but he, unable to raise a hand against innocent babies, creates a cradle for them from wood and lets them along the Tiber. Nailed this cradle to the foot of the Palatine Hill, where they found by a she-wolf and nursed with her milk. The she-wolf eventually becomes a symbol of Rome and its power, because with the milk of the wolf, strength and dexterity were transferred to the twins. And again, we can only guess where this legend comes from. She-wolves in Rome were called girls of easy virtue (Lupa), they howled so much at night that they received this unkind nickname, and subsequently the brothel was called Lupanaria.

So, probably, it was to such a girl that Faustil took the babies for feeding. Which explains another story: the peasant who found the babies next to the she-wolf also bore the name Faustil.

When Romulus and Remus, having reached the age of 18, they learned about the secret of their origin (Faustil kept the found cradle), they overthrew the illegal ruler, freed Ray's mother Sylvia from imprisonment, and returned the throne to grandfather Numitor. In gratitude, the king gave the brothers gold, slaves and artisans to found a new city.

Romulus and Remus chose to lay the first stone of the city familiar places where they grew up and were fed by a she-wolf near the banks of the Tiber. But here for the first time a dispute broke out between the brothers, they could not decide on which hill to found the city. Romulus believed that the best location is the Palatine Hill., while Ram played for the Aventine Hill. At the instigation of the priests, each of them stood at dawn on his own hill, waiting for divine signs. Rem was the first to see the sign, six kites began to circle over him, but after a few moments Romulus appeared to the kite, but there were already 12 of them. Despite the resistance of Rem, the priests decided the dispute in favor of Romulus and the choice fell on Palatine (Palatio).

Thus was the fate of Rome determined. At the foundation of the city, Romulus outlines its boundaries, harnesses a heifer to the plow, as was customary at that time to consecrate the new settlement, but offended and offended, Rem, in order to hurt his brother, begins to jump over the sacred border, showing how easy it will be for the enemies to overcome the walls of the new city . Romulus, indignant at sacrilege, in a fit of rage grabs a sword and with the words: “So it will be with everyone who crosses the walls of Rome,” kills his brother ...

So, Rome was founded by Romulus and Remus, but Romulus was the first king of the greatest city.

Thus begins the story of the seven kings of Rome.

Romulus and Remus(lat. Romulus and Remus) are the legendary founding brothers of Rome. According to legend, they were the children of the Vestal Rhea Sylvia and the god Mars. According to Titus Livius, Romulus was the first king of ancient Rome (753 - 716 BC).

Birth and childhood

The mother of Romulus and Remus, Rhea Sylvia, was the daughter of the legitimate king of Alba Longa Numitor, deposed 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, which doomed her to 30 years of celibacy. In the fourth year of service, Mars appeared to her in the sacred grove, from whom Rhea Sylvia gave birth to two brothers. Enraged, Amulius took her into custody, and ordered the babies to be put in a basket and thrown into the Tiber River. However, the basket washed up on the shore at the foot of the Palatine Hill, where they were fed by a she-wolf, and the cares of the mother were replaced by the arriving woodpecker and lapwing. Subsequently, all these animals became sacred to Rome. Then the brothers were picked up by the royal shepherd Faustulus. His wife, Akka Larentia, who had not yet consoled herself 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.

Founding of Rome

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 of Alba Longa. According to legend, Remus chose the lowlands between the Palatine and Capitoline Hills, but Romulus insisted on founding a city on the Palatine Hill. Turning to the signs did not help, a quarrel broke out, during which Romulus killed his brother.

Repenting for the murder of Remus, Romulus founded the city, which he gave his name (lat. Roma) and became its king. The date of foundation of the city is April 21, 753 BC. e., when the first furrow was drawn around the Palatine Hill with a plow. According to medieval legend, the city of Siena was founded by the son of Rem - Seny.

At first, the main concern of Romulus was to increase the population of the city. To this end, he granted the newcomers rights, freedoms and citizenship on a par with the first settlers. For them, he assigned the lands of Capitol Hill. Thanks to this, runaway slaves, exiles and just adventurers from other cities and countries began to flock to the city.

In Rome, there was not enough female population - the neighboring peoples rightly considered it shameful for themselves to enter into family alliances with a crowd of vagabonds, as they called the Romans at that time. Therefore, Romulus came up with a trick - he arranged a solemn holiday - Consualia, with games, wrestling and different kind gymnastic and cavalry exercises. Many neighbors of the Romans came to the feast, including the Sabines (Sabines). At the moment when the spectators and, in particular, the spectators were carried away by the course of the game, conventional sign a large crowd of Romans with swords and spears in their hands attacked the unarmed guests. In the confusion and stampede, the Romans captured the women - as many as they could. Romulus himself took the Sabine Hersilia as his wife. The wedding with the ritual of bride kidnapping has since become a Roman custom.

According to Plutarch, an attempt to calculate the dates of the birth of Romulus and Remus and the founding of Rome by astrological methods was undertaken by the astrologer Tarutius at the request of his friend Varro. He decided that the brothers were conceived on the day solar eclipse June 24, 772 BC e. at the 3rd hour after sunrise and were born on March 26, 771 BC. e., and Rome was founded on October 4, 754 BC. e.

Romulus - king of ancient Rome

The abduction of the Sabine women could not have a positive effect on the reputation of Rome - the neighbors rebelled against him. The army of Romulus managed to repulse the attack and take the cities of Tsenin and Crustrum. The military glory of Romulus attracted new settlers to the city - the Etruscans. They settled the Esquiline Hill. By that time, the Sabines, having recovered from their bereavement, under the leadership of their king Tatius, went on a campaign against Rome and, despite the heroism of the defenders of the city, almost managed to take it. But in the midst of the battle, the Sabines appeared on the battlefield: holding babies in their arms, they conjured, on the one hand, their fathers and brothers, on the other, their husbands to stop the bloodshed. The Sabines and the Romans made peace. They decided to call themselves quirites (spearmen) and live together under the rule of Tatius and Romulus. The Sabines populated the Capitoline Hill and the neighboring Quirinal Hill.

For six years Tatius and Romulus ruled together. During this time, they made several successful campaigns, including the Albanian colony of Cameria, but in the city of Lavinius Tatsiy was killed by offended citizens. Romulus became king of the united nations.

Romulus is credited with the creation of the Senate, which at that time consisted of 100 "fathers". He also installed insignia supreme power, established the position of lictors, divided the people into 30 curiae, according to the names of Sabine women, established three tribes: Ramny(Latins), Titia(Sabines) and Lucers(Etruscans). He is also credited with dividing the Romans into patricians and plebeians.

The device of the Roman state by Romulus

Dividing the whole people into 3 parts, Romulus placed the most prominent of the people over each of the parts as a leader. Then, again dividing each of the three parts into 10, he appointed leaders over them, equal among themselves and the most brave. He called the larger parts tribes, and the smaller ones curiae. Those who stood at the head of the tribes were called tribunes, those who stood at the head of the curiae were called curions. Romulus divided the Curia into decades, headed by a decurion. Romulus divided the land of Rome into 30 equal cleres (plots by lot) and appointed a cleric to each curia.

Romulus separated the noble by birth and famous for valor and wealth in those days, people who already had children, from the obscure, poor and unfortunate. He called people of unenviable fate plebeians, and people of a better life - "fathers" (their descendants began to be called patricians). The "fathers" were entrusted with the leadership of Rome. Citizens who did not take part in public affairs were called villagers.

When Romulus separated the best from the worst, he took up legislation and determined what each of them should do: patricians - to be priests, to manage and judge, to deal with state affairs with him; Romulus decided to free the plebeians from all this. He appointed them occupations in agriculture, cattle breeding and profitable crafts. Romulus saw fit to entrust the plebeians to the patricians, each of them giving the choice of which of the people he wished to become patron. Romulus called the protection of the poor and the lower patronage, thus establishing philanthropic and civic ties between them.

Then Romulus established senators, with whom he intended to govern the state, recruiting 100 people from the patricians. He appointed one who was to lead the state when he himself led the army beyond its borders. He ordered each of the three tribes to choose three people who were the most intelligent due to their age and the most famous by origin. After these nine, he ordered from each curia to appoint the three most worthy of the patricians. Then, adding to the first nine nominated by the tribes another 90, whom the curiae had previously elected, and appointing a leader from among them, whom he himself had appointed, Romulus increased the number of senators to 100.

Disappearance of Romulus

Roman mythology describes the death of Romulus as a supernatural disappearance. However, it looks like he was just killed. Plutarch, in his Comparative Lives, speaks of the ascension of Romulus with a grain of salt:

For thirty-seven years Romulus ruled the Rome he founded. On the fifth of July, on that day, which is now called the Capratine nonas, Romulus offered a sacrifice outside the city, in the Goat's Marsh, for the whole people in the presence of the Senate and most of the citizens. Suddenly in the air happened big change: a cloud descended to the earth, accompanied by a whirlwind and a storm. The rest of the people fled in fear and scattered in different directions, while Romulus disappeared. He was not found alive or dead. A strong suspicion fell on the patricians. The people said that they had long been weary of royal power and, wanting to take control of the state into their own hands, they killed the king, since for some time he began to deal with them more severely and despotic. The patricians tried to dispel this kind of suspicion by ranking Romulus among the gods and saying that he "did not die, but was awarded a better share." Proculus, a respected person, swore that he saw Romulus ascend in full armor to heaven, and heard his voice ordering him to be called Quirinus.
Plutarch. Comparative biographies. Lycurgus and Numa Pompilius

A similar story is given in his "History from the foundation of the City" by Titus Livius.

It is generally accepted that Romulus ascended to heaven on July 5, 717 BC. e. Exact date the birth of Romulus and Remus is known only approximately: about 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.

Analogies in the mythologies of other peoples

The fate of Remus and Romulus has many analogies in the mythologies of other peoples. So the ancient Greek Perseus and the Hebrew Moses were immediately after birth thrown into the sea and the Nile, respectively. The theme of twins is also often found in the mythology of the Mediterranean: compare at least with the Greek legends of Castor and Pollux or Amphion and Zeph. Cases of child rearing by wild animals are often described in mythology, religion and modern fiction. Finally, the legend of the ascension of Romulus is very reminiscent of the Christian legend of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. In both cases, we are dealing with a “king” who ascended to heaven.

The legend of the origin of Rome

The historical tradition, preserved by Greek and Roman historians and reflected in poetry (by Virgil), sets out the legend of the rise of Rome in this way. The Trojan Aeneas, the son of the goddess Aphrodite and the mortal Anchises, survived the destruction of Troy. Together with his son Ascanius (or Yul), Aeneas fled and, after long wanderings, arrived at the shores of Latium. Latin then ruled there, the king of the local tribe of "aboriginals". He friendly accepted Aeneas and married his daughter Lavinia to him. After the death of Aeneas, Ascanius-Yul founded the new city of Alba Longa and began to reign there. According to another version of the legend, Yul was the son of Aeneas and Lavinia. In any case, according to both versions, it was he who was the founder of Alba Longa and the ancestor of the clan that reigned there. A few generations after Yul, Numitor reigned in Alba Longa. But his younger brother Amulius overthrew him from the throne and reigned in Alba Longa himself, and gave the daughter of Numitor Rhea Sylvia to the vestals. The Vestal Virgins, that is, the priestesses of the goddess Vesta, had to take a vow of celibacy. However, Rhea Silvia from the god Mars gave birth to two twins, for which she was condemned to death by Amulius as having violated her vow. The king ordered the twins to be thrown into the Tiber. But the slaves who were entrusted with this left the basket with the twins in a shallow place, because due to the flood of the river it was difficult for them to approach deep water. When the spill subsided, the basket found itself in a dry place. To the crying of the twins, a she-wolf came running down from the surrounding mountains to the river to get drunk, and fed them with her milk. Soon the children were found by the royal shepherd Faustul. He brought them home and gave them to his wife Larenzia to raise. The twins were given the names Romulus and Remus. Growing up, in addition to hunting, they also began to engage in the fact that they attacked the robbers, took their prey from them and divided it among the shepherds. In the end, the secret of the origin of the brothers was revealed, they killed Amulius and restored their grandfather Numitor to the throne. They themselves did not want to stay in Alba Longa, but decided to found a new city in the places where they were found. At its foundation, the brothers quarreled, and Romulus killed Remus, and named the city after himself (the Romans produced the name Roma on behalf of Romulus). According to the "era of Varro", this happened in 754/53 BC. e.

Already in antiquity, the story of Titus Livius (History of Rome from the founding of the City. I, 3-7) was recognized as a classic presentation of the legend of Romulus and Remus. The story is rather concise, but not devoid of bright moments. “It seems to me,” writes Livy, “that fate predetermined both the birth of such a great city and the foundation of power, second only to the power of the gods. The Vestal [Rhea Sylvia] became a victim of violence and gave birth to twins, but she declared Mars to be the father - either believing in it herself, or because the sin, the culprit of which God is less dishonorable. However, neither the gods nor the people protected either herself or her offspring from royal cruelty. The priestess in chains was taken into custody, the king ordered the children to be thrown into the river. But the Tiber, just by the will of the gods, overflowed, covering the banks with stagnant waters - nowhere was it possible to approach the riverbed, and those who brought children could only hope that the babies would drown, even if in still waters. And so, having somehow fulfilled the royal commission, they leave the children in the nearest backwater - where the Ruminal fig tree is now (earlier, they say, it was called Romulova). These places were deserted and deserted then. They say that when the water receded, leaving the tray with the children on land, a she-wolf from the neighboring hills, who ran to the watering place, turned to the children's cry. Bending down to the babies, she gave them her nipples and was so affectionate that she began to lick the children with her tongue; so the caretaker of the royal flocks, who, according to legend, was called Faustul, found her. He brought the children to himself and handed over to his wife Larentia to be brought up ”(Livy. I, 4, translated by V. M. Smiril). Livy (I, 6-7) conveys the tragic denouement of the legend as follows: “When Numitor thus received (back) the Alban kingdom, Romulus and Remus were seized by the desire to found a city in the very places where they were abandoned and brought up. The Albanians and Latins had a lot of superfluous people, and if shepherds were added to this, everyone could easily imagine that Alba would be small, Lavinium would be small in comparison with the city that was to be founded. But hereditary evil intervened in these plans, a thirst for royal power, and hence an unworthy strife, born from a completely peaceful beginning. The brothers were twins, the difference in years could not give an advantage to either of them, and now, so that the gods, under whose protection those places were, indicated with a bird's sign who to name the city with their name, who to rule the new state, Romulus chose the place of bird watching Palatine, and Remus - Aventine.

Remus, as they say, was the first to see a sign - six kites, and the sign was already announced when Romulus saw a double number of birds against this. Each of the brothers was proclaimed king by a crowd of adherents; some attached more importance to primacy, others to the number of birds. A squabble began, and mutual bitterness led to bloodshed; in the confusion Rem received death blow. More common, however, is another story - that Rem jumped over new walls in mockery of his brother, and Romulus killed him in anger, exclaiming at the same time: "So let everyone who jumps over my walls perish." Now Romulus remained the sole ruler, and the newly founded city was named after its founder” (translated by V. M. Smirin).

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From the book Civilization of Ancient Rome author Grimal Pierre

From the book History of Rome author Kovalev Sergey Ivanovich

The legend of the origin of Rome The historical tradition, preserved by Greek and Roman historians and reflected in poetry (by Virgil), sets out the legend of the origin of Rome in this way. Trojan Aeneas, the son of the goddess Aphrodite and the mortal Anchises, survived the destruction

From the book History of Rome the author Mommsen Theodore

Chapter IV. THE ORIGINAL STATE ORGANIZATION OF ROME AND THE MOST ANCIENT REFORMS IN IT. ROMAN HEGEMONY IN LATIOUM. Roman family, the power of the father. The Roman state, the power of the king. Equality of citizens. Non-citizens. People's Assembly. Senate. Military reform Servius Tullius.

From the book Book 2. Changing dates - everything changes. [New Chronology of Greece and the Bible. Mathematics reveals the deception of medieval chronologists] author Fomenko Anatoly Timofeevich

7. The well-known abduction of the Sabine women in “ancient” Rome and the division of wives and daughters in Greece at the beginning of the 14th century AD. e Foundation of Rome in Latinia, and then Italian Rome in the XIV century AD. e 7.1. The Rape of the Sabine Women Almost all versions of the Trojan = Tarquinian = Gothic War include

From the book Why Ancient Kyiv did not reach the heights of the Great Ancient Novgorod author Averkov Stanislav Ivanovich

12. LEGENDS ABOUT THE ORIGIN OF ANCIENT CITIES The chronicler monk Nestor colorfully depicted in his "Tale of Bygone Years" the pagan life of Kyiv with sacrifices. After such a picture, the question arises, how did this Kyiv life originate? And how was she born?

author Averkov Stanislav Ivanovich

16 Legends about the emergence of ancient cities The chronicler monk Nestor colorfully painted in his "Tale of Bygone Years" the pagan life of Kyiv with sacrifices. After such a picture, the question arises, how did this Kyiv life originate? And how did it originate in

From the book How grandmother Ladoga and father Veliky Novgorod forced the Khazar girl Kiev to be the mother of Russian cities author Averkov Stanislav Ivanovich

17 There are many legends about the emergence of Kyiv. Oles Buzina embellished one of them by calling Kyi, Shcheka and Khoriv bandits. Many state and non-state figures thought about the longevity of Kyiv.

author Averkov Stanislav Ivanovich

Chapter II Legends about the emergence of Kyiv 1. Legends about the emergence of ancient cities The chronicler monk Nestor colorfully painted in his "Tale of Bygone Years" the pagan life of Kyiv with sacrifices. After such a picture, the question arises, how did this

From the book Where was Russia born - in Ancient Kyiv or in Ancient Veliky Novgorod? author Averkov Stanislav Ivanovich

1. Legends about the emergence of ancient cities The chronicler monk Nestor colorfully painted in his "Tale of Bygone Years" the pagan life of Kyiv with sacrifices. After such a picture, the question arises, how did this Kyiv life originate? And how did it originate in

From the book Where was Russia born - in Ancient Kyiv or in Ancient Veliky Novgorod? author Averkov Stanislav Ivanovich

2. There are many legends about the origin of Kyiv. Oles Buzina embellished one of them by calling Kyi, Shcheka and Khoriv bandits. Many state and non-state figures thought about the longevity of Kyiv.

author

4.2. The legend of the founding of Rome by Romulus absorbed information about the transfer of the capital of the empire from old Rome to new Rome by Constantine the Great. "Ancient classics" say that the quarrel between Romulus and Remus occurred during the laying of the city of Rome in Latinia, Etruria. It is believed that speech

From the book Tsar's Rome between the Oka and Volga rivers. author Nosovsky Gleb Vladimirovich

Chapter 8 Alexander Nevsky and the Battle on the Ice in the "ancient" history of Rome (Moses crossing the sea and the death of the pharaoh's troops. The Istrian war of Rome) 1. A reminder of various reflections Battle of the Ice in Greco-Roman "antiquity" and in the Bible 1) Recall that in the Old Testament