Romulus and Remus were twin boys who were abandoned as infants but cared for by a she-wolf. They grew up to learn the truth of their origins and overthrew the king who had left them to die. The twins disagreed on where to build a new city, with Romulus seeing an omen favoring the Palatine Hill while Remus favored the Aventine Hill. In the argument that followed, Romulus killed his brother Remus and went on to become the first King of Rome.

1. The Roman Myth of
Romulus and Remus

3. Romulus and Remus were twin boys born to
a princess named Rhea Silvia. Their father
was the fierce Roman god of war, Mars. The
king where the boys lived was scared that
someday Romulus and Remus would
overthrow him and take his throne.

5. So he had the boys left in a basket on the
Tiber River. He figured they would soon die.
The boys were found by a she-wolf.

7. The wolf cared for them and protected them
from other wild animals. A friendly
woodpecker helped to find them food.
Eventually some shepherds happened across
the twins.

9. One shepherd took the boys home and
raised them as his own children.

11. When Romulus and Remus became adults
they learned the truth about their origins. In
a fight killed King Amulius and reinstated
their grandfather Numitor as king of Alba
Longa.

13. When seeking the perfect location for their
new city, Remus wished to start the city on
the Aventine Hill, while Romulus preferred the
Palatine Hill. They agreed to consult augury,
where birds are examined to see what the
gods favored. Remus claimed to have seen six
birds, whereas his brother had seen twelve.

15. Even though Romulus had seen more birds,
Remus argued that he had seen them first and
therefore the city should be built on the
Aventine Hill. Meanwhile, Romulus began to
build a wall on his hill, which Remus decided to
jump over. Angered by his brother’s action,
Romulus killed him. According to the legend, he
became the first King of the city called Rome.