Two Foundational Myths of Rome :D

There is two foundational myths telling of the founding of Rome. Both of these being "myths" tell that they are both not true. The first of these myths is about Romulus and Remus and how they created a city just because they wanted to and the second is about Aeneas and how he made his own city because he did not want the people of Carthage to hate him.

Romulus and Remus were brothers. Their mother was supposed to be a virgin priestess but one day concieved twins, Romulus and Remus. Some say that the father of Romulus and Remus was the Greek god, Mars. Romulus and Remus were abandoned by their parents and put into a basket that floated down-river. Finally, the basket got caught and it is said that wolves came to care for the twin brothers until they were old enough to go out on their own.

When Romulus and Remus became adults, they decided to found a city where the wolves had found them, but in the process of founding this city, they fought alot. They quarreled so much that one day, Romulus was fed up with Remus and killed him. This lift Romulus to found the city all by himself.

The second foundational myth for the founding of Rome has to do with Aeneas. Aeneas was one of the prince's of Troy. On a search for a new land, Aeneas came across Carthage. In Carthage. Aeneas met Queen Dido who fell in love with Aeneas. Soon, Aeneas had to leave Carthage and Queen Dido was heart broken. She killed herself by stabbing herself in the heart. This made the people of Carthage hate Aeneas. (page 74)

After Aeneas left Carthage, he finally landed at Latium Italy where he set up his city of Rome. So, as you can clearly see, both of the stories of the founding of Rome are very different, but both of them are very interesting.




Clark, Michael, Story of Aeneas, New York, Cincinnati, Chicago. American Book Company, 1898.

I also used the Book on tape we listened to in class :D