The myth of Romulus and Remus was one of the most popular and important Roman myths in ancient times, and its significance to the founding of Rome has carried through to modern times.
The myth says that Romulus and Remus’ mother, Rhea Silva was forced to become a Vestal Virgin by Amulius, her uncle, so that there would be no heir to the throne which he had taken from Rhea Silva’s brother, Numitor. However, the war god Mars raped her in his sacred grove, and she gave birth to the twins Romulus and Remus.
Amulius, who had become king of Alba, ordered his servants to kill the new-born twins so they could not claim the throne. Instead of killing the twins, the servants cast them on the Tiber. Their cradle was swiftly carried away and eventually rested on a mud bank. Mars sent his sacred animal, the wolf, to look after his children. They were raised by this wolf until Romulus and Remus were discovered in the wolf’s lair by a shepherd. He took them to his home where they were raised as shepherds. One day their grandfather, Numitor, met Remus and guessed who he was, so the lost grandchildren were reunited with him. They weren’t content to live with him in Alba Longa, so they instead founded a city of their own, which was later called Rome after Romulus. A fight broke out, however, and Romulus killed Remus. Romulus then ruled Rome and it flourished. It was a haven for fugitives, but suffered a shortage of women, which Romulus overcame by arranging for the capture of Sabine women at a nearby festival.
After a reign of forty years, he disappeared to become the war god Quirinus.
Many features and events of this myth played a significant role in Roman society. Romulus and Remus as twin brothers symbolised two poles – cooperation and violent conflict. Twin gods and heroes play an important role in many religions. Romulus and Remus are a personified expression of duality. Romans considered brothers central to family life, intimacy, politics and history. For this reason the myth of Romulus and Remus was significant. It shaped the Romans’ ideas about many aspects of life.
The myth was also invented to explain the name and origin of the city. It gave the Romans pride because of the myth’s heroic aspect. It also explained certain customs of Rome. For instance, Roman brides were taken from their families on their wedding days with pretence of force, and this probably had its origins in the story of the Sabine women.
The myth of Romulus and Remus was a popular one in ancient culture and was retold many times, often changing to suit the needs of the current society. In early times, the fact that Romulus killed Remus was glorified and seen as the main characteristic of the myth. However, after the civil wars, the focus was on reconciliation in the myth rather than violence. The she-wolf became the symbol for Roman nationhood. For centuries it has been portrayed to represent fighting prowess, the mother of ancestral spirits and the divine midwife. The wolf is honoured in the myth of Romulus and Remus and reveals the significance of the animal in ancient Roman society.
There are many shrines dedicated to Romulus and Remus, such as the bronze statue in Rome of the two brothers and the wolf which raised them.
The myth of Romulus and Remus is relevant to the study of Ancient society in that it illustrates many beliefs and customs of ancient Roman society. It shows the need of Romans to explain the origin of their city and the desire for it to be based on heroic events. There are a number of major features and personalities which symbolise aspects of the Romans’ religious and social beliefs, such as the she-wolf, the kinship of brothers Romulus and Remus, and the fact that Romulus became a god after his death.
The Romulus and Remus myth was very popular and significant to ancient Roman society, as it explained their city’s name and beginnings, and gave them a story on which to support their customs, beliefs and different aspects of life.
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