Romulus

Romulus was the legendary first king of Rome. Many traditions say he created Rome's oldest laws and social groups. While some parts of his story are folklore, these myths are very important to Roman culture. They explain how the city began and how its people lived. His story is a mix of gods and real human choices.

The story begins with Romulus and his twin brother, Remus. Legend says they were the sons of the god Mars. Their grandfather was Numitor, the king of a place called Alba Longa. A man named Amulius took Numitor's throne and treated the family badly. When the twins were born, they were left by the Tiber River. A she-wolf found them and fed them until a shepherd named Faustulus found them. The brothers grew up to be shepherds among the hill-folk.

As adults, the twins wanted to build their own city. They returned to the hills near the Tiber River. However, the brothers disagreed on which hill to use for the city. Remus saw six vultures over the Aventine Hill. Romulus saw twelve vultures over the Palatine Hill. This disagreement led to a fight. In many versions of the story, Romulus killed Remus during the conflict. Romulus then began building the city of Rome on the Palatine Hill.

Romulus worked hard to organize his new people. He divided the citizens into three tribes called the Ramnes, Titienses, and Luceres. Each tribe had officials called tribunes to lead them. He also created the Roman Senate. This was a group of leaders called patres, or "city fathers." Their descendants became the patricians, a major social class in Rome. Romulus even created an asylum on the Capitoline Hill to protect fugitives.

Because the city had many young men, Romulus needed more families. He took women from the neighboring Sabine people during a festival. This caused a war between the Romans and the Sabines. The fighting was very fierce and dangerous. To stop the violence, the Sabine women stepped between the two armies. They begged their fathers and husbands to make peace. The leaders agreed, and the Romans and Sabines joined into one community. Romulus and the Sabine leader, Titus Tatius, ruled together for a time.

Romulus ruled for thirty-seven years. He fought against other groups like the people of Fidenae and Veii. At the end of his life, something strange happened. Some say he disappeared in a sudden, violent storm on the Campus Martius. Others believe the gods took him up to heaven. After he was gone, a Sabine man named Numa Pompilius became the next king. The story of Romulus remains a huge part of how people understand Rome's start.