Romulus and Remus

In Roman mythology, Romulus and Remus were twin brothers whose story is famous for explaining how the city of Rome began. According to the tale, these twins were left to die as babies but were found and cared for by a she-wolf. They grew up to build a city together, though only Romulus became the first king of what later became the city of Rome and the Roman Kingdom.

The picture of a she-wolf feeding the twins has become a powerful symbol for Rome and the ancient Romans since ancient times. Even though the story happens before Rome was founded in 753 BC, the oldest written versions of this myth come from around the late 3rd century BC. People still discuss what might have inspired the story and how it was told differently in various places.

Overview

Romulus and Remus were twin brothers born in Alba Longa, a city near the seven hills of Rome. Their mother, Rhea Silvia, was the daughter of a former king named Numitor. She was placed in a sacred place by the god Mars.

Their uncle, King Amulius, wanted to keep power and saw the twins as a threat. He gave his rights to another man and ordered the twins to be left to die by the river. But they were saved and cared for by others. In a famous story, a she-wolf helped them survive in a cave called the Lupercal. They were raised by a shepherd named Faustulus and grew up helping with sheep.

As they grew older, they learned about their family and helped their grandfather take back his throne. After this, they decided to build their own city. They disagreed on where to build it and had a contest to see which hill the gods favored. Sadly, during their argument, Remus was killed, and Romulus went on to found the city of Rome and lead it as its first king.

Primary sources

The story of Romulus and Remus, twin brothers said to have founded Rome, comes from many old writings. Scholars still debate where the different parts of the tale originated—whether from the Romans themselves or from later Greek influences. Roman historians placed Rome's founding around 753 BC, but the earliest written version of the myth appeared much later, in the late 3rd century BC. Different writers told the story in their own ways, sometimes disagreeing with each other.

Important writers who told the tale include Livy, Plutarch, Dionysius of Halicarnassus, and Ovid. Their works often focus on the twins' family ties and their fight against their uncle Amulius. Some stories also mention the twins being left alone in the wild and later growing up among shepherds. Over time, the tale changed to fit the times and ideas of the people telling it.

Modern scholarship

Modern scholars look at the stories of Romulus and Remus as different versions of how Rome began. Roman historians often told these stories to explain Roman traditions and values of their time. Other stories seem to come from folk tales and may have special meanings we don't fully understand.

The main ancient writers who told the story—Livy, Dionysius, and Plutarch—each chose what to include for their own purposes. Livy wrote in a way that supported Roman traditions. Dionysius and Plutarch, who were not Romans, included extra details not found in Livy's work. A later Roman text called Origo gentis Romanae collects many unusual and different versions of the myth, including ones where Remus founded a city called Remuria.

Romans linked many of their important traditions to Romulus. He was said to have started Rome's armies, laws, religion, and government. In reality, these developments happened over many years, some long before and some long after Romulus's time. For Romans, the legend felt real and important. They could visit places like the Lupercal, where the twins were said to have been cared for by a she-wolf, or worship Romulus as a god.

The story of Romulus and Remus shows what Rome thought about itself and its values. For modern scholars, it is a complicated and tricky myth, especially because of how Remus died. Ancient historians were sure Romulus gave his name to Rome, but many modern historians think the name Romulus came from the name Rome. The meaning of Remus's name and role is still debated. The picture of the she-wolf caring for the twins became a famous symbol of Rome.

Iconography

Ancient pictures of Romulus and Remus often follow certain traditions. They might show a shepherd, a she-wolf, the twins under a fig tree, and birds (Livy, Plutarch). Or they might show two shepherds, the she-wolf, and the twins in a cave, but rarely a fig tree and never birds (Dionysius of Halicarnassus).

The twins and the she-wolf appeared on some of the earliest silver coins made in Rome. The Franks Casket, an Anglo-Saxon ivory box from the early 7th century AD, shows Romulus and Remus in a unique way, with two wolves instead of one, a grove instead of a tree or cave, and four warriors instead of shepherds. This design may have been used to bring good luck to a warrior king.

In popular culture

The tale of Romulus and Remus has inspired many stories and films over the years. In 1961, a film called Duel of the Titans told their story, with actors Steve Reeves and Gordon Scott playing the brothers. A more recent film from 2019, The First King: Birth of an Empire, shows how Rome was founded, using an old form of the Latin language in its script. In 2020, a TV series named Romulus also explored these events with the same ancient language. Even a science fiction horror film from 2024, Alien: Romulus, used ideas from their myth.

Depictions in art

Further information: Capitoline Wolf statues in cities

The story of Romulus and Remus has inspired artists for many years. One popular part of the tale shows the twins being cared for by a she-wolf.

Palazzo Magnani

In the late 1500s, a rich family in Bologna asked artists to create artworks about how Rome began. They made paintings and a sculpture showing the twins as babies.

Fresco of Palazzo Trinci

There is a big wall painting from the 1400s in the Palazzo Trinci that shows scenes from the story of Romulus and Remus.