LEGENDS OF ROME
Aeneas
About three thousand years ago, ships, that had been sailing for a long time searching a landing place,
sighted a land. The men on those ships were the only survivors of a terrible fire that after a long war had
destroyed their town. They were sad and tired, they had been wondering for years longing for rest and
peace..... and here now a welcoming land was in front of them. They landed at a place where a river flowed
into the sea blending its tumultuous yellow waters with the blue waves. So they were enthusiastic when their
leader ordered them to land.
The men who finally touched land were Trojans. They had landed in Lazio on the banks of the river Tiber led
by the brave hero Aeneas. While Troy was falling under the Greek assault, he saved his father and his little
son. Unfortunately his father died during the voyage.
The life and deeds of Aeneas are wonderfully told in the Aeneid, written by the great poet Virgil, here we
record the most important episodes essential to the study of Roman history.
In those times, Lazio was already peopled by several tribes: Etruscans, Volscians, Sabines, Rutuli and
Ausones.
The Latins were the most important population settled in a group of organised cities along the Tiber banks.
The Troians got soon in touch with these people and with their King, the wise Latin. He warmly welcomed
them, gave them hospitality and some time later he gave his daughter Lavinia to Aeneas as his wife. She had
been previously bethroted to Turno, the king of Rutuli who declared war on Latin for the offense.
It was a terrible war that ended with a duel between Aeneas and Turno. The latter died. A long period of
peace followed during which Aeneas founded aTown, Lavinium, to honour his wife. His son Ascanio
founded another town called Albalonga.
Many years after the death of Ascanio, the good Numitore became king. But he had a very evil and envious
brother, called Amulio who wanted to rule. For this reason he imprisoned Numitore and forced his daughter
Rea Silvia to become a priest.
Amulio felt safe and secure. He had ruled for a long period when some time later the god Mars sent two
twins to Rea Silvia, Romulus and Remus. Amulio ordered that they be killed them immedately. But he was
destined to be punished. The servant ordered to committ the cruel act, had not the heart to commit such a
murder. Instead he put the two little brothers in a wicker basket and abandoned them on the Tiber waters,
with the hope that someone could save them.
And they were saved.
Romulus and Remus
Many writers have told the story of the twins. Gustavo Brigante Colonna, made a beautiful tale of it. In fact
he tells that near the Tiber banks, an old shepherd and his wife, Faustolo e Laurenzia, lived in a poor shed.
One evening a tired Faustolo was sitting near the shed door and Laurenzia was preparing a frugal meal.
Suddenly they heard a rustle coming from the woods. Near the river a dark shadow slid down the bank.
Faustolo decided to go and see what had happened. He told his wife to wait for him. He moved forward with
caution, because the ground near the river was full of puddles because of the recent rains. In one of these
puddles at the foot of a tree, Faustolo saw a big she-wolf lying down on one side with two children sucking
her milk.
He thought he was dreaming. He went back to the shed and told his astonished wife about the she-wolf and
the twins, and then he took her to the river. Some time later the two children, were sleeping in Faustolo and
Laurenzias warm shed. Here they grew up and became two strong boys, a little savage but good boys.
Faustolo called them Romulus and Remus; they respected him as a father. Everyday they went farther and
farther from the shed to seek adventure......
This is the tale of the writer.
The legend instead says that once Romulus and Remus had grown up, they learned their story and decided to
go back to Albalonga. Here they punished the cruel Amulio and set free their grandfather. They left
Albalonga and went back to the Tiber banks where they had grown up.
Here they founded a new town.
But who would decide the name?
They decided to watch the flight of the birds: the first who had seen the greatest number of birds would have
given the name to the town. Romulus was luckier, and he took a plough and marked out the town’s perimeter
on the Palatin Hill. He called it Roma (Rome). It was April 21st, 753 years before Christ.
The foundation of the new town marked the end of Remus. It had been decided that no one could pass the
boundary without permission of Romulus. But Remus for envy or in fun, jumped over it and laughing said:Look! Its so easy!Romulus full of wrath, flung himself on Remus, took up a sword and killed him, shouting that anyone who
had insulted the name of Rome was to die.
Romulus, ruled the town wisely. One day during a storm, he disappeared, carried off by the god Mars.