- The Ancient Romans believed in the Legend of Ancient Rome which is the story of how Romulus and Remus founded the city, with Romulus becoming the first of the Kings of Ancient Rome.
- During the Empire, Virgil joined Italian mythology with Greek mythology by recounting the story of the Trojan Hero, Aeneas, and how he survived the Fall of Troy to settle in Latium and became the forefather of Romulus and Remus.
Romulus and Remus
- The Legend of Ancient Rome is the story of Romulus and Remus, twin brothers who founded Rome on the 21st April 753 BCE on the site where they had been brought up by a she-wolf.
- Romulus then killed Remus and became the first King of Rome, which he built on the Palatine, one of the Seven Hills of Rome.
Ab urbe condita
- Ab Urbe Condita (AUC) Meant ‘From the founding of the City’ (of Rome) on 21st April 753 BCE, (year 1 AUC). It was celebrated by the Festival of Parilia.
ANCIENT ROME: 'The Eternal City'
- The Ancient Romans themselves believed that Rome would never fall, and during the Roman Empire they believed that the Empire would never end.
Vestal Virgins
- The Vestal Virgins were Priestesses created by King Numa Pompilius (715-674 BCE) to maintain the sacred fire in the Temple of Vesta.
- The fire of Vesta protected Rome, as long as it never went out and the priestesses were perceived as Goddesses who protected Rome.
Forum Romanum
- The Forum Romanum was founded in 753 CE, at the same time as the city of Rome and all the most important Civic Buildings and Temples were built along it.
- It was the spiritual heart and meeting place of Rome, and all Processions and Triumphs were conducted along it.
Virgil (29-19 BCE)
- Augustus wanted to link the Italian myth of the Founding of Rome by Romulus and Remus with Greek culture. He commissioned the Poet Virgil to write the story linking Rome with the Trojans.
- Virgil wrote the Aeneid, between 29-19 BCE, in which he described the journey of Aeneas who survived the Fall of Troy and after various adventures settled in Latium.
- Aeneas is the forefather of Romulus and Remus.
- All Romans were then brought up to read Virgil’s Aeneid in addition to the other Legends.
Forum Romanum, Rome