According to legend, Rome was founded on April 21, 753 BC, by Romulus, who became its first king after killing his twin brother, Remus, during a dispute. Traditionally, they were sons of Mars, abandoned and suckled by a she-wolf. Historically, Rome developed from pastoral settlements on the Palatine Hill. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]

Key Details of the Founding

• The Legend of Romulus and Remus: The twins were abandoned to die in the Tiber River but were saved by a shepherd, Faustulus, and his wife, Larentia, after being nursed by a she-wolf. They returned to their birthplace, overthrew their great-uncle Amulius, and decided to build a city on the spot where they were rescued.

• Fratricide and Naming: The brothers disagreed on which hill (Palatine or Aventine) to build the city. After Romulus began building walls on the Palatine, Remus mocked them, leading Romulus to kill his brother and name the city after himself.

• The Date: The date of April 21, 753 BC, was established by the Roman scholar Marcus Terentius Varro in the first century BC, based on calculations from earlier legends.

• The Mythological Lineage: The myth links Rome to the Trojan hero Aeneas, whose descendants reigned in Alba Longa before the twins were born, bridging Roman history with Greek epic tradition. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]

Historical and Archaeological Perspective

• Not a Single Event: Modern archaeology suggests the city was not "founded" on one day, but rather formed slowly through the unification of small settlements on the Palatine and other hills during the mid-8th century BC.

• Early Development: The initial settlement was part of a broader, long-term consolidation of villages, likely influenced by neighboring Etruscan and Latin cultures.

• The Seven Kings: The Romans believed they were ruled by seven consecutive kings (beginning with Romulus) between 753 BC and the establishment of the Republic in 509 BC. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Commonly Associated Myths

• The Rape of the Sabine Women: To populate his city, Romulus invited neighboring Sabines to a festival and kidnapped their women, leading to a merger of the two groups.

• The Asylum: Romulus established a sanctuary on the Capitoline Hill, encouraging outcasts, refugees, and fugitives to populate the new city. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]