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Romulus and Remus are Roman mythological twin brothers. Their story chronicles the events that led to Romulus’ founding of Rome and the Roman Kingdom following Remus’ fratricide. The tale evolved into what might be termed an “official” chronological version of the Late Republican and early Imperial eras.
See the fact file below for more information on Romulus and Remus, or you can download our 29-page Romulus and Remus worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information
Overview
- The image of a she-wolf feeding the twins during their early years has functioned as a symbol for Rome and the ancient Romans from at least the third century BCE. Even though the narrative took place before the establishment of Rome in around 750 BCE, the first known written account of the myth originates from the late third century BCE. The probable historical underpinnings of the myth, as well as interpretations of the different local variants, are currently being debated.
The Myth
- Romulus and Remus were born at Alba Longa, one of the numerous ancient Latin settlements near the eventual location of Rome.
- Rhea Silvia, their mother, was a vestal virgin and the daughter of Numitor, the former king ousted by his brother Amulius. According to legend, when the deity Mars visited Rhea Silvia in a special grove designated for him, she became pregnant.
- King Amulius gave the order to execute the couple because he believed they threatened his rule. They were abandoned on the Tiber river bank to die.
- They were saved by the deity Tiberinus, Father of the River, on the site of what would eventually become Rome, and they lived with the assistance of others. In the most popular version, the twins were suckled by a she-wolf, Lupa, in the Lupercal cave.
- They were finally adopted by a shepherd called Faustulus. They were unaware of their actual identities because they grew up tending sheep. They grew into natural leaders and gathered a network of supporters over time.
- They were embroiled in a dispute between Numitor and Amulius’ followers while they were young adults.
- As a result, Remus was apprehended and transported to Alba Longa. Both the king and his grandfather had reservations about who he was. During this time, Romulus devised a plot to free his brother and went with help to the city.
- During this period, they discovered their family history and worked with their grandfather to restore him to the kingdom. When King Amulius was assassinated, Numitor became the new king of Alba.
- The twins decided to construct their own metropolis.
- After returning to the seven hills, they pondered which one to build on.
- Romulus picked the Aventine Hill, which was higher than the Lupercal, but Remus favored the Palatine Hill. When they couldn’t agree, they decided to have an augury (interpreting omens from the behavior of birds) to seek the gods’ approval.
- While Romulus first saw six favorable birds, he later saw twelve and declared that he had heavenly approval. Remus insulted Romulus’ new city, and depending on how they felt about the outcome, either Romulus or one of his supporters murdered him.
- Romulus later created the city of Rome including its institutions, administrative organization, military, and religious traditions. For a long time, he was the country’s first king.
The Primary Sources
- The origins of the different components of Rome’s founding myth remain unknown. They might have come from the Romans’ own Italic ancestry or later Hellenic influences.
- Classicists have failed to identify those original components with precision.
- The founding of Rome was attributed to 753 BCE by Roman historians, but the first recorded account of the narrative dates from the late third century BCE.
- It is unclear how and when the complete narrative came about.
- Some aspects are better recorded than others, and the storyline and tone were influenced in various ways by the circumstances and tastes of the different authors, as well as Roman politics and social customs of the time. Debate continues whether the concept of the twins started with Roman myth or developed later.
- Sources frequently contradict one another. They include Virgil’s and Ovid’s writings, as well as Livy’s, Plutarch’s, Dionysius of Halicarnassus’, and Tacitus’ chronicles. Quintus Fabius Pictor’s book was cited as authentic in the early volumes of Livy’s “Ab Urbe Condita,” Dionysius of Halicarnassus’ Roman Antiquities, and Plutarch’s Life of Romulus.
- The twins’ pedigree, links to Aeneas, and the expulsion of Amulius overshadow the story of the Lupercal and the fratricide in all three sources.
- The latter is given the most emphasis in the accounts. Plutarch devotes about half of his account to the overthrow of their uncle.
Scholarship in the Twenty-First Century
- Roman historians presented particular versions and collations as authoritative, an official history free of inconsistencies and erratic variations to verify contemporaneous events, genealogy, and acts in relation to Roman values.
- Other stories appear to represent popular or legendary history, but their intentions and themes remain ambiguous. Classical scholar Peter Wiseman characterizes mythology and folklore as a particularly problematic foundation in early history.
- The three canonical narratives by Plutarch, Dionysius, and Livy serve as the fundamental textual framework for the study of Rome’s origin myths. Despite its similarities, each is selected for a distinct purpose.
- Livy’s work is a respected textbook that discusses the logic and ethics of Roman practices from his period.
- Dionysius and Plutarch approach the same issues from the eyes of interested outsiders. They contain founder traditions that Livy does not mention, which cannot be traced back to a single source and are likely unique to particular geographical places, social classes, or oral traditions.
- The many “more or less bizarre,” frequently contradictory versions of Rome’s founding myth, including those in which Remus founds Remuria, a city five miles outside of Rome, and outlives his brother Romulus, are the subject of the late Imperial era Roman text “Origo gentis Romanae” (“The Origin of the Roman People”).
- According to Roman tales and history, most Roman institutions can be traced back to Romulus.
- He is credited for founding Rome’s army, legal system, official religion and administration, and patronage network that served as the foundation for all social, political, and military activities. Such developments would have occurred over a lengthy period of time.
- Some were much younger, while others were much older. The majority of Romans thought the mythology and its primary figures were factual because they were reinforced by obvious, physical evidence that formed an intrinsic part of Rome’s hallowed landscape.
- One can visit the Lupercal, the site of the twins’ she-wolf suckling, or the “shepherd’s home” to venerate the deified Romulus-Quirinus, witness it enacted on stage, or read from Ovid’s “Fasti.”
- The mythology as a whole embodies Rome’s sense of self, historical foundations, and ethical precepts. Given the circumstances surrounding Remus’ death, it remains one of the most challenging and convoluted foundation myths for modern investigation. According to ancient historians, Romulus was the one who named the city.
- The majority of modern historians believe that Remus’s name derives from the name Rome; the roots of Remus’s name and position are still the subject of ancient and contemporary speculation.
- In a chronological version of the Late Republican and early Imperial eras, Roman historians gave the twins’ birth year of 771 BCE to the city and put the city’s creation between 758 and 728 BCE.
- In a later myth, Aeneas, the semi-divine Trojan prince, was named Romulus’ distant ancestor, making Romulus the direct ancestor of Rome’s first Imperial dynasty. The possible historical origins of the overall mythical story remain unclear and contested.
Historicity
- Today, there isn’t much evidence to support any particular Roman origin story, including the presence of a genuine Romulus or Remus. Beginning with Fabius Pictor, the recorded accounts must have at least documented the city’s acknowledged history.
- The archaeologist Andrea Carandini, one of the few current specialists who acknowledges Romulus and Remus as historical figures, dates an old wall on the northern slope of the Palatine Hill to the middle of the ninth century BC, naming it Murus Romuli.
Iconography
- Ancient pictures of the Roman twins typically adhere to certain symbolic traditions, depending on the legend they depict: they either depict a shepherd, the she-wolf, the twins, and one or two birds under a fig tree (Livy, Plutarch), or they depict two shepherds, the she-wolf, the twins, and no birds in a cave (Livy, Plutarch) (Dionysius of Halicarnassus). One of the earliest silver coins made in Rome may have shown the twins with the she-wolf.
- An Anglo-Saxon ivory box known as the Franks Casket produced early in the seventh century BCE, shows Romulus and Remus in an unusual setting, with two wolves instead of one, a grove instead of a tree or a cave, and four kneeling soldiers instead of one or two gesticulating shepherds.
- According to one reading and as the runic inscription (“far from home”) suggests, the twins are referred to here as the Dioscuri, journey companions like Castor and Polydeuces.
Romulus and Remus Worksheets
This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about Romulus and Remus across 29 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about Romulus and Remus, legendary figures from ancient Roman mythology. They are said to be the twin sons of the god Mars and the Vestal Virgin Rhea Silvia.
Download includes the following worksheets
- Romulus and Remus Facts
- Jumbled Letters
- Important Characters
- Answer Me!
- Eyes on the Screen
- The She-wolf
- What does it Symbolize?
- Short Play
- One Page Comic
- Rich in History
- Partners In Conflict
Frequently Asked Questions
Why were Romulus and Remus abandoned as infants?
According to legend, the twins were abandoned by their mother Rhea Silvia, who was a Vestal Virgin. Vestal Virgins were priestesses in Ancient Rome who were sworn to remain celibate, and if they broke their vow, they could face severe punishment. Rhea Silvia was impregnated by the god Mars, and fearing for her safety, she abandoned the babies on the Tiber River.
What was the significance of the she-wolf in the legend of Romulus and Remus?
The she-wolf is said to have saved and nurtured the infant twins, which played a significant role in the formation of their identity as the founders of Rome. In ancient Roman mythology, the wolf was a symbol of strength, cunning, and protection. The story of the she-wolf and the twins became an enduring symbol of the origins of Rome and its people.
Why did Romulus kill Remus?
According to legend, Romulus and Remus disagreed over which hill to found the city of Rome on. Remus mocked Romulus’ choice of hill, and in a fit of rage, Romulus killed him. Some historians believe that the story of Romulus and Remus is a mythological representation of the conflict between two groups of people, who eventually merged to form the Roman people.
How did Romulus go on to found the city of Rome?
After killing Remus, Romulus became the sole founder of the city of Rome. He built a wall around the city and opened its gates to any who wished to live there. He also established the Senate, which was a council of advisors who helped him govern the city.
Did Romulus and Remus actually exist?
The story of Romulus and Remus is a legend, and it is not clear whether they actually existed or not. Some historians believe that the story is based on a real event or a group of events that were later embellished with mythological elements. Others believe that the story is entirely fictional, created to provide a heroic origin story for the city of Rome.
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