Thursday, March 28, AD 2024 5:04am

2763rd Anniversary of the Fovnding of Rome

Happy Birthday Rome!

Today, 2763 A.U.C., Rome was founded by Romulus and Remus.*

According to legend, Rome was founded on April 21, 753 B.C. by twin brothers descended from the Trojan prince Aeneas.  Romulus and Remus were the grandsons of the Latin King, Numitor of Alba Longa. The King was ejected from his throne by his cruel brother Amulius while Numitor’s daughter, Rhea Silvia, gave birth.  Rhea Silvia was a Vestal Virgin who was spoliated by the pagan god Mars, making the twins half-divine.

The new king feared that Romulus and Remus would take back the throne, so they were to be drowned. A she-wolf (or a shepherd’s wife in some accounts) saved and raised them, and when they were old enough, they returned the throne of Alba Longa to Numitor.

The twins then founded their own city, but Romulus killed Remus in a quarrel over which one of them would reign as the King of Rome, though some sources state the quarrel was about who was going to give their name to the city. Romulus became the source of the city’s name.

Another legend recorded by Greek historian Dionysius says that Prince Aenas led a group of Trojans on a sea voyage. After a long time in rough seas, they landed at the banks of the Tiber River. Not long after they landed, the men wanted to take to the sea again, but the women who were traveling with them didn’t want to leave.

One woman, named Roma, suggested that the women burn the ships out at sea to prevent them from leaving. At first, the men were angry with Roma, but they soon realized that they were in the ideal place to settle. They named the settlement after the woman who torched their ships.

And yet another legend says the city of Rome grew from settlements around a ford on the river Tiber, a crossroads of traffic and trade.  According to secular archaeological evidence, the village of Rome was probably founded sometime in the 8th century BC, though it may go back as far as the 10th century BC, by members of the Latin tribe of Italy, on the top of the Palatine Hill.

_._

* Ab Urbe Condita

(Biretta tip: Father John Zuhlsdorf)

Source: mostly from Wikipedia

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Donald R. McClarey
Admin
Wednesday, April 21, AD 2010 9:15pm

“XXVI

But the Consul’s brow was sad,
And the Consul’s speech was low,
And darkly looked he at the wall,
And darkly at the foe.
“Their van will be upon us
Before the bridge goes down;
And if they once may win the bridge,
What hope to save the town?”

XXVII

Then out spake brave Horatius,
The Captain of the Gate:
“To every man upon this earth
Death cometh soon or late.
And how can man die better
Than facing fearful odds,
For the ashes of his fathers,
And the temples of his gods,

XXVIII

“And for the tender mother
Who dandled him to rest,
And for the wife who nurses
His baby at her breast,
And for the holy maidens
Who feed the eternal flame,
To save them from false Sextus
That wrought the deed of shame?

XXIX

“Haul down the bridge, Sir Consul,
With all the speed ye may;
I, with two more to help me,
Will hold the foe in play.
In yon strait path a thousand
May well be stopped by three.
Now who will stand on either hand,
And keep the bridge with me?”

XXX

Then out spake Spurius Lartius;
A Ramnian proud was he:
“Lo, I will stand at thy right hand,
And keep the bridge with thee.”
And out spake strong Herminius;
Of Titian blood was he:
“I will abide on thy left side,
And keep the bridge with thee.”

XXXI

“Horatius,” quoth the Consul,
“As thou sayest, so let it be.”
And straight against that great array
Forth went the dauntless Three.
For Romans in Rome’s quarrel
Spared neither land nor gold,
Nor son nor wife, nor limb nor life,
In the brave days of old.

XXXII

Then none was for a party;
Then all were for the state;
Then the great man helped the poor,
And the poor man loved the great:
Then lands were fairly portioned;
Then spoils were fairly sold:
The Romans were like brothers
In the brave days of old.

XXXIII

Now Roman is to Roman
More hateful than a foe,
And the Tribunes beard the high,
And the Fathers grind the low.
As we wax hot in faction,
In battle we wax cold:
Wherefore men fight not as they fought
In the brave days of old.”

It is always a good day when I have an excuse to post a section of The Lays of the Ancient Romans!

Tito Edwards
Wednesday, April 21, AD 2010 11:22pm

I’m glad it was in English and not Latin.

Phillip
Phillip
Thursday, April 22, AD 2010 9:14am

Good thing the Romans spoke English! 🙂

Tito Edwards
Thursday, April 22, AD 2010 11:00am

Phillip,

And ‘Merican English at that! 😉

Donald R. McClarey
Admin
Thursday, April 22, AD 2010 5:49pm

“And ‘Merican English at that!”

Lord Macaulay Tito would be appalled by that statement!

Tito Edwards
Thursday, April 22, AD 2010 6:17pm

I need to learn to read poetry so I can better use my satirical skills.

🙂

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