The mythological founding of Rome traces the city's origins to Aeneas, a Trojan prince who fled Troy after its fall. According to myth, Aeneas led Trojans to Italy where they encountered and intermingled with the native Latins. A Latin princess later gave birth to the twins Romulus and Remus, who were abandoned but rescued and raised by a she-wolf. As adults, Romulus and Remus founded Rome after a dispute over rulership was supposedly settled when more birds appeared at Romulus' hill. In reality, archaeological evidence shows that a group of Latins lived in the area of Rome from around 1200 BC and that by 776 BC the village of Rome had around 1,

1. The Founding of Rome
Fact vs. Myth

2. Aeneas
 Ancient Romans liked to trace their
roots to a famous Trojan prince,
Aeneas.
 The myth teaches that Aeneas was
directed by the gods to travel west
after Troy fell.
 Aeneas is said to have lead a few
remaining Trojans to safety this way.

3. The Latins
 When Aeneas and his followers arrived in
modern-day Italy they encountered a group
called the Latins.
 The two groups intermarried and lived in
harmony.

4. Rhea Silvia
 Around 800 BC, a Latin princess, Rhea Silvia,
is said to have given birth to twins fathered by
the god Mars.
 This princess had taken a vow as a priestess
and was forbidden to marry or have children.
 As punishment for breaking her vow, the
twins were taken from her and left to die.

5. The Twins
 The newborn twins, Romulus and Remus,
were thrown into the Tiber River.
 Luckily, the babies were rescued by a she-
wolf. The she-wolf raised them as her own.
 One form of the myth also says a woodpecker
helped to feed the twins.

6. Rescue by Shepherd
 The she-wolf was later
killed by a shepherd.
 Fortunately, the
shepherd found the
babies and took them
home to his wife.

7. Romulus and Remus
 As adults, Romulus and Remus decided to
build a city on the Tiber River.
 They fought over who should rule the city.
After a lot of arguing, they decided to let the
gods choose between them.
 They each stood atop a hill waiting for a sign.
The gods sent 12 vultures over Palatine
where Romulus stood.

8. Romulus is King
 Romulus claimed he had been chosen king.
 Remus wasn’t happy with this. The brothers
fought and Romulus killed Remus.
 Romulus became king of the new city which
he named Rome (after himself).

9. The Historical Findings
 Archeologists know that people with iron
weapons began invading the Mediterranean
lands around 1200 BC.
 One group, called the Latins, did live on
Palatine.
 By 776 BC, Palatine was a farming village of
about 1,000 people.

10. Etruscans
 A people called the Etruscans settled near
Palatine in about 800 BC.
 By 600 BC, the Etruscans had conquered all
of northern Italy (including the Latins).
 The Etruscans were an advanced civilization.
Their kings ruled Rome for more than 200
years.