User:InformationvsInjustice/Final R & R draft
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In Roman mythology, Romulus and Remus are legendary twin brothers, whose story tells the events that led to the founding of the city of Rome and the Roman Kingdom by Romulus. The tale of the death of Remus at the hands of his brother and others have been a major source of inspiration for artists throughout the ages. Since ancient times, the image of the twins being suckled by a she-wolf has been a symbol of the city of Rome and the Roman people. Although the tale takes place before the founding of Rome around 750 BC, the earliest known written account of the myth is from the late 3rd century BC. Whether the twins' myth was a an original part of Roman myth or a later development is the subject of an ongoing debate.
The myth begins with the story of their origins and the palace intrigue that resulted in their being left to die in the wilderness.
Romulus and Remus were born in Alba Longa, one of the ancient Latin cities near the future site of Rome. Their mother, Rhea Silvia was a vestal virgin and the daughter of the former king, Numitor. She conceived them when, their father is the god Mars who visits her in a sacred grove dedicated to him.[2] They were descended, through her, from Greek and Latin nobility. They were seen as a threat to the current king, their maternal uncle, Amulius. He ordered the the two infants killed and they were abandoned in the wilderness along the banks of the Tiber River to die. They were saved by Tiberinus, the Father of the River and survived with the care of others. In the most well-known episode, the twins were suckled by a she-wolf.[3] Eventually, they were adopted by Faustulus, a shepherd, and raised tending flocks, unaware of their true identities.
When they were young adults, they became involved in a dispute between supporters of Numitor and Amulius. As a result, Remus was taken prisoner and brought to Alba Longa. Both his grandfather and the king suspected his true identity. Romulus, meanwhile, had organized an effort to free his brother and set out with help for the city. During this time they learned of their past and joined forces with their grandfather to restore him to the throne. Amulius was killed and Numitor was reinstated as king of Alba. The twins, then aware of their royal heritage and heady with the victory over Amulius set out to build a city of their own.
After arriving back in the area of the seven hills, the effort was beset with conflict. They disagreed about the hill upon which to build. Romulus prefered Palatine Hill and Remus Aventine hill. When they could not resolve the dispute, they turned to the gods to show them the way. They each searched for an auspice to support their claim in the form of a bird omen. Remus first saw 6 birds and afterwards, Romulus saw 12. Instead of settling the matter, this new dispute furthered the contention between them. In the aftermath, Remus was killed either by Romulus or by one of his supporters.[4] Romulus then went on to found the city of Rome, its institutions, government, military and religious traditions. He reigned for many years as its first king.