Ancient history

What did the Romans believe about Romulus and Remus?

Romulus and Remus were the twin sons of Mars, the Roman god of war. They were raised by a she-wolf and eventually founded Rome. The twins disagreed on the location of the city, with Romulus wanting it to be on the Palatine Hill and Remus wanting it to be on the Aventine Hill. They agreed to decide the matter by a bird-watching contest, and Romulus saw an augury of 12 vultures, signifying that he would be the winner. Remus saw only six vultures and thus lost the contest.

Romulus proceeded to found the city on the Palatine Hill and, to mark the boundary of the city, ploughed a furrow around the hill. He declared that if anyone ever crossed that furrow they would be put to death. However, Remus decided to jump over the furrow in contempt, and Romulus killed him.

The Romans saw Romulus and Remus as the founders of their city and as symbols of Roman strength and courage. They believed that Romulus was a great leader who had the support of the gods and that his twin brother Remus was a brave and loyal supporter.