Like any other ancient city, Rome is fraught with many stories related to its foundation. The pedigree of the ancestors of Rome is from the ancient celestial - Mars. Legends about the founding of Rome claim that it is the influence of the god of war that explains the invariable militancy of the Romans, the desire to conquer other peoples and create empires.
A bit of history
In the second millennium BC, Latin tribes migrated to the shores of the Tiber and the Rubicon. Gradually, most of the Latins settled at the foot of the hills of Palatine and Velia. Their close neighbors became the Sabine tribes, who occupied the nearest territories. By the 8th century BC. the united tribes of Latins and Sabines formed a city. The legends about the foundation of Rome are based on the legends of these peoples . History has three periods of the life of this city as the capital of the state - royal, republican and imperial. Of course, many events of those eras are semi-legendary in nature and are based on traditions, myths and tales. For example, the legend of the founding of Rome and the seven kings, although it contains the names of reliable characters, but it is impossible to talk about it as a fact. The same story with the legend of Numitor.
Numerator
Legends about the founding of Rome are associated with the name of the ancient Greek hero Aeneas. At the beginning of time, he came to the Apennine Peninsula and founded the first settlement here - Latsium. Most likely, this legend is based on the lively trade relations of the Latins with the ancient Greeks. The son of Aeneas - Askaniy-Yul - founded another settlement called Alba Longa. Both cities were ruled by the descendants of Askania.
Around the 8th century BC these cities were ruled by brothers from the Askanian clan - Amulius and Numitor. Amulius usurped power and took all the powers of the ruler from his brother. To make his reign safe, he killed the only son of Numitor, and made his daughter a priestess of the goddess Vesta. According to the laws of the time, vestals must remain virgins.
But the daughter of Numitor - Sylvia Rey - broke the sacred vow and gave birth to two boys from Mars - the twins Romulus and Remus.
It is with their names that the legends about the foundation of Rome are associated. The cruel Amulius imprisoned Sylvia in prison, and threw a basket of babies into the waters of the Tiber. But the waters of the mighty river lifted the basket, and she clung to the bush of the fig tree at the Palatine Hill. There the brothers were found and fed by a she-wolf.
Time passed, and the children were found by a shepherd of the ruler Amulius, named Faustul. He brought the children home, and the shepherd’s wife, who had recently lost her child, joyfully received them. Having matured, the brothers killed the usurper Amulius and returned power to their grandfather Numitor.
The foundation of Rome
Legends about the founding of Rome say that four years after their first feat, the brothers were allowed to establish a new city. But a dispute arose over who would become the founder of the new village. The brothers did not come to a consensus. They provided the final decision to the gods. Romulus and Remus sat on opposite sides and waited for a sign. Remus the first saw six kites flying by. But almost immediately, for his part, Romulus saw twelve of these birds of prey. Romulus and Remus did not come to a common interpretation of this prediction, each of the brothers believed that it was he who was lucky. A quarrel arose. In anger, Romulus killed his brother. Deeply repenting, he founded a new city, calling it his name. The first furrow, drawn around the Palantine hill, was the event that marked the birth of a new city. The legendary foundation of Rome occurred on April 21, 753.
The Legend of the Abduction of the Sabine Women
At the behest of Romulus, the new city accepted into the ranks of its inhabitants all comers. The emergence of Rome led into its walls runaway slaves, ruined peasants, adventurers and exiles. The new city experienced an acute shortage of women. To solve this problem, the ruler of Rome organized a celebration in honor of the harvest. At the height of the holiday, the Latins kidnapped the inhabitants of the neighboring tribe - the beautiful Sabine women.
This event almost ended in war, but the abducted women managed to reconcile the Latins and the Sabines. The Romans and the Sabines made peace, and for six years, two kings ruled Rome - Romulus from the Latins and Titus Tatsius from the Sabine tribe. After his death, Tius Romulus remains the sovereign ruler and the first king of Rome for life.
Ascension of Romulus
The legend of the founding of Rome briefly speaks of the death of the founder of this city. It mentions that Romulus disappeared at a meeting of the Senate. The approaching solar eclipse made the people scatter, leaving their king. Later, the patricians were accused of the death of the king, but the popular opinion was that Romulus was exalted to heaven. The Romans considered Romulus their guardian patron in the form of the god Quirin. The altar of the guardian patron of Rome was on Quirinale Hill.
Seven Kings of Rome
The royal period began in the 6th century BC. e. and lasted a whole century. Its distinctive feature was the lack of continuity and a clear order of succession among the Romans. Briefly about each of the kings, the following can be said.
Brief characteristics of the kings
Romulus was distinguished by divine origin. It is considered the founder of Rome. Created by the Senate. Divided the ancient city into three parts.
Numa Pompilius - the second ruler of Rome - was chosen by the people for their talent, organizational skills and ability to carry out reforms. His merits include the formation of a union of craftsmen and artisans, the introduction of a new calendar, which had 365 days, the ordering of religious cults, in particular the ban on human sacrifice.
Tull Gostilii was a wealthy landowner in the first half of his life. Having become king, he discovered the warlike features of his character and began to wage numerous wars with neighbors. As a result of his reign, the area of the Roman state was significantly expanded.
Ankh Marcius was the grandson of Tull. Because of his quiet disposition, he almost lost his throne. Forced to constantly repel the attacks of warlike neighbors, annexed several Etruscan cities to the possessions of Rome.
Tarquinius the Ancient is the only king of Rome from the Etruscan tribe. The owner of a huge fortune, he received the throne of Rome. He married the daughter of the previous king. He spent a number of wars with the Etruscans and Latins. He led the transformation of Rome. It was under him that water and sewage systems began to function in the city, stone pavements appeared, and the first stone private houses began to be built.
Servius Tullius was a slave, but received a good education. Got the throne thanks to Tarquin's wife. He carried out a number of reforms in the army, divided Rome according to the territorial principle, erected a mass of defensive structures. He gave civil rights to the plebeians, granted freedom to slaves. Used universal love.
Tarquinius the Proud - the last, seventh king of Rome. He came to power through a coup d'etat, villainously killing Servius. Substantially curtailed the rights of the lower classes, robbing the plebs of all the freedoms previously granted. As a result, he was expelled with his sons from Rome. He ended his life in 510 when he tried to regain power.
Thus ended the first, royal era in the life of the Eternal City.