The early history of Rome | 2
uprise and divide of Romulus and Remi
The genesis of the greatest empire has one of the most bizarre beginnings with the rape and birth of twin of Rhea Silvia, a then Vestal Virgin an event which she out of shame spined and said that Mars was the father of the boys. But her fate was sealed then and there, with the orders of Kings she was thrown into imprisonment and the twin brothers sentenced to be drowned in the Tiber River.
Well, if divine intervention was not part of the twins conception, it was definitely part of the following events. At that time the Tiber River had overflowed, and it was impossible to get to the actual river. The soldiers that were assigned to complete the task impatiently left the babies in first flood water they could find , ( a spot that the Ruminal fig tree stands). Now the basket in which the two boys where inside was left dry and whole. A she-wolf that came to the river to quench her thirst and noticed the babies crying and took care of them until a shepherd named Faustulus found them and took them back to his home.
The boys grew up to be of great strength and of great resolve. Helping with the farm and attacking robbers. The festival of Lupercalia that took place on the Palatine hill, included various pranks among men. Some of the victims of the twins wanted to take revenge and did so by getting a hold of Remi and passing him to the King for punishment in the name of raiding and stealing cattle.
Under these circumstances the Shepherd felt that he couldn’t hold the truth for any longer and confessed to Romulus that whole story of their origins. It is also stated that Numitor while he had Remi in custody suspected the boy’s divine nature since he acted so differently from the lowly born. Romulus summoned several herdsmen and attacked the kings house via different routs . In the confusion of the attack the kings was killed . After the truth came out and that the boys where of royal blood and Numitor their grandfather , his royal status was confirmed and his kingship initiated.
Now the feel for the founding of new settlements grew for both of the brothers. The same source of divide between their grandfathers came to light once again – jealousy and ambition . Since the brothers where twins , the game of seniority couldn’t be played, and so they decided to ask the gods of the countryside which of them would be the ruler of the new city. Romulus took to palantine hill and Remus to the Aventine and they waited . Remus received the first sign – six vultures landed on his hill , but soon after double the amount landed on Palantine hill. Each of the brother’s followers declared their leader king , and now they couldn’t decide which was more important the priority or the number of vultures that landed. One thing let to another and when Remi jumped over the semi built walls of the new settlement Romulus killed him in a fit of rage.
So perish whoever else shall overleap my battlements.
As Romulus took sole power, the new city took it’s founder’s name.
