As most people probably already know, at least the ones who are passionate and thirsty to know about history, Romulus and his twin brother Remus are the ones credited for the Rome foundation. It is impossible to have never heard about the tale of Rome’s founding. However, it is definitely worth mentioning it again.
It is currently Rome’s most famous story and one of the most important Roman legends. The story claims that two twin boys, Romulus and Remus, were sentenced to death as infants because of a prophecy claiming they would dethrone their great-uncle. Instead of being killed, the servants felt bad for the infants and left them alone near a riverbed.
Near the river is where a wolf found them, but instead of attacking the babies, the wolf did an unimaginable thing – protected them. They were raised by the she-wolf, who also suckled them until one day when the shepherd by the name Faustulus found the twins and adopted them as his sons. And as the prophecy told, the boys grew up and killed Amulius, their great-uncle, and restored Numitor, the King of Alba Longo, who was actually their grandfather.
Then and there, the two boys decided to create a city. Romulus took his people and built the city’s walls, but Remus had other plans. He belittled his brother and made fun of his wall. It is said that Romulus killed him for this.
Did Romulus and Remus Found Rome? | Rome Foundation
Although history tells us that the Rome foundation has Romulus and Remus as “fathers,” there are a few myths that claim this city was not founded by the twins. There are a few scholars and historians who believe Rome’s foundation should be accredited to the Greeks.
Others support this idea but claim the idea of a Roman city to be founded by a Greek would have been too embarrassing for the people of Rome, so they invented the story of how Romulus and Remus miraculously survived their traumatic experiences as infants. A particular Greek logographer once wrote that Rome exists purely thanks to the heroes Aeneas and Odysseus, who came together there.
Dionysius, the famous Greek historian and teacher of rhetoric, tells us that he and many other colleagues of his also believe that the Rome foundation was made possible because of Aeneas and Odysseus. They claim the city is called “Rome” because there was a Trojan woman.
Other historians believe Romulus, the grandson of Aeneas, was the actual founder of Rome. The ancient Roman poet, Virgil, claims Evander was the one who founded the famous city. Gaius, the Latin grammarian, geographer, and compiler, claims the Arcadians are the real founders of Rome. Others claim Romos, the son of Odysseus, is the founding father of Rome.
From what you can tell, many people believe many, many variations of who the actual founder of Rome is. The one who should be quoted for the Rome foundation may be on the previously mentioned list. It wouldn’t be so far-fetched to believe people just moved here and, little by little, raised a strong city. Whatever the truth is, we can’t deny how important Rome truly is to the world.
Why Is Rome Celebrated on the 21st of April?
While most countries were not even born yet, and people were pretty behind on technology when the Rome foundation happened, the Romans were extremely ahead of the “game.” It is a shock to most people when they find out that Romans knew exactly when Rome was “born” because they had documented it and kept records of its foundation.
To be exact, Rome’s “birthday” falls every year on the 21st of April. In 2023 the city will turn 2,776, or at least that is according to the Romans’ calculations. The 21st of April is also known as “Natale di Roma” and translates to “Rome’s birthday.”
To this day, Italians celebrate Rome like there is no tomorrow. The festivities last until the 24th of April, and it is a sight to see at least once in your life. There are plenty of exhibitions available. At the same time, the Italians always remember their roots, so they host many educational events meant to teach people, especially tourists and even their youngsters, all about Rome, from the Rome foundation until the present day. And the best part of it all is that all events are completely free. The museums are also free of charge.
Did The Romans Believe in God?
Although today the people who descend from Romans left their pagan beliefs and are mostly Christian, there was a time in history when the Roman Empire was a primarily polytheistic civilization. This means the people of the Roman Empire used to worship multiple entities that they would call “their gods.” Like many cultures, they had their superstitions, and they had to leave offerings and sacrifices for their deities.
However, in time, they slowly transitioned to Christianity. They were extremely involved in their own religion, being extremely faithful. They blindly believed that if they were at peace with their gods and their gods were pleased with them; they could master everything.
However, some rulers took this “need for peace” to an ugly extreme. They used to be so scared to upset these fake gods that they started persecuting the early Christians, to the point where Christians would be killed for their faith in God. They were angry at the early Christians for not wanting to “play by their rules.”
Fortunately, the persecution of Christians ended with the help of Emperor Constantine the Great. Constantine I, was a Roman Emperor, but unlike the many rulers before him, he had a different mindset. He decided to legalize Christianity and even converted to it himself.
Currently, Emperor Constantine holds the title of the most important emperor of Late Antiquity. At the same time, he is one of the most important people for Christians everywhere for his act of kindness to end the persecution of the early Christians. He is also remembered for spreading the teaching of the church and supporting its many activities. He is living proof that you can always turn to God.
