Romulus and Remus
Romulus and Remus
“Romulus and Remus” recounts the legendary founding of Rome by Romulus, one of the twin sons of Mars. According to the tale, the twins, who had been raised by a she-wolf, competed for the right to rule. Ultimately, both claimed to have received the blessings of the gods. The disagreement over who would rule ended violently when Romulus killed his brother and became the sole ruler and founder of Rome.
Dramatis Personae
Student 1
Student 2
Amulius
Faustulus
Romulus
Remus
Numitor
Scene 1: Present-day Rome
STUDENT 1: Hey, wait just a minute! This guidebook says that Rome was founded by twins who were raised by a wolf?
STUDENT 2: Sure, Romulus and Remus. A long time ago, maybe around 800 BC, there was a king named Numitor, but he had a brother, Amulius, who was jealous of his power. Numitor had a daughter named Rhea Silvia, and the god Mars fell in love with her—
STUDENT 1: The god Mars? The god of war? So this isn’t a true story?
STUDENT 2: No, it’s a legend. But it’s a good story. So Rhea Silvia had twin boys, Romulus and Remus. Amulius found out and threw Rhea Silvia and her babies into the Tiber River. But the gods saved the babies. They sent a she-wolf who’d lost her own pups to raise the twins. Later, a shepherd named Faustulus found the twins . . .
Scene 2: Sometime in the 8th century BC, near present-day Rome
NUMITOR: Speak up, shepherd. What do you want?
FAUSTULUS: I was tending my flock, and I stumbled on twin boys—twin boys being raised by a wolf! I’m not kidding! Look, here they are! Romulus and Remus—your grandsons!
NUMITOR: How can this be? They were drowned in the Tiber!
FAUSTULUS: The gods must have been watching over them. They are half immortal.
NUMITOR: My grandsons! My daughter Rhea Silvia’s sons! I’ll make Amulius pay for keeping them from me.
Scene 3: A few years later
ROMULUS: Amulius is dead! At long last Amulius is dead.
REMUS: Let’s build a city to celebrate. Let’s build it on top of Aventine. That’s my favorite hill.
ROMULUS: You must be joking. Palatine is a much better hill for a city.
REMUS: You’re wrong, as usual. Aventine.
ROMULUS: And you’re being stubborn, as usual. Palatine.
REMUS: Aventine.
ROMULUS: Okay, I’ve got an idea. We’ll let the gods decide.
REMUS: Look! You can see for yourself! Six vultures just flew over me!
ROMULUS: But look yourself! I count 12 vultures circling me! The city belongs on Palatine, and I’ll be king.
REMUS: That’s what you think!
Scene 4: A few months later. Romulus plows a line around his city in preparation for building a wall.
REMUS: You think a wall will keep out your enemies, brother? They’ll jump over it just like this!
(Remus jumps over the line.)
ROMULUS: Then I’ll kill them.
Scene 5: Present-day Rome
STUDENT 1: Well, go on. What happened?
STUDENT 2: Romulus killed his brother. He named the city Rome after himself. People said that the 12 vultures that flew over Romulus meant that the power of Rome would last for 1,200 years.
STUDENT 1: That’s a pretty good story, but who really founded Rome, and when?
STUDENT 2: Nobody knows for sure. The Romans didn’t write anything down for a long time. The real story got mixed up with legends along the line.
STUDENT 1: Well, I’m glad somebody founded Rome. I’m having a great time. How about a gelato?
Questions for Discussion
1) What does this founding myth reveal about the ancient Romans?
2) Why do you think ancient Romans assigned the god Mars as the father of Romulus and Remus?