The founding of Rome and the Roman republic has been explained by the use of many myths. The Romans hold different kinds of myths as to where they originated.
Even though the history of the Romans is explained by myths, there is some evidence through historical records of the Romans’ leadership to support these myths. It is believed that “Rome was founded on 21 April 753 BC” (“The Founding of Rome” 2007). Twin brothers Romulus and Remus accomplished this. This paper gives an analysis of the article “The Founding of Rome”.
This article gives the historical perspective of the coming into existence of the Romans, the leadership of the Romans and the circumstances that gave way to the establishment of the Roman Republic. It is organized into sections. Each section has its own sub-heading. The writer also uses images of drawings and paintings to enhance the clear presentation of the message in a convincing way. The article is organized into paragraphs, with an introduction that clearly states the thesis statement
The thesis statement informs us that the founding of Rome is based on ancient Roman mythology. The writer then develops on this by giving examples of the two common myths and showing how they are related in explaining the founding of Rome. The writer uses traditional mythology as the primary source of the information. There is no evidence of any type of secondary source of information for this article.
In this article, the writer presents the two common myths on the founding of Rome. These are the tales of “Romulus and Remus and Aeneas”. Rather than contradict each other, the tale of Aeneas adds to that of Romulus and Remus” (“The Founding of Rome” 2007). Romulus and Remus were twin brothers who are said to have contributed to the founding of the ancient empire.
The brothers were sons to Rhea Silvia, daughter to the ejected King Numitor of Alba Longa. When they were old enough, the two brothers returned to their home area, killed the King and reinstated their grandfather Numitor to power. The twins then founded a city and built it on Palatine hill.
The legend of Aeneas comes into play after a long period characterized by the long reign of seven kings. Aeneas married a princess whom another king wanted to marry. This triggered a war between the two, a war that Aeneas won. This happened after the Trojan wars. Aeneas settled in Latium, a place believed to be the river course of river Tiber.
The revolt is what connects the two tales. Having given the two mythical accounts, the writer then gives an historical background of the Latinos. The writer explains how the Latinos settled in Rome. They settled in areas, which “were not mistaken for anything like a city. They kept pigs, herded sheep, goats, cattle and lived in primitive, round huts” (“The Founding of Rome” 2007). These settlements with time turned to be a great city.
Rome had to experience transformations in order to become a mighty city. Its location facilitated its development. The people had much to learn from the Greeks. The article says that the Romans learnt from the Greeks important skills such as reading, writing and religion.
The article presents the history of the emergence of Rome and concludes at a time when the Roman People have had their first king. The kingdom had several kings and this gave rise to the development of the Roman republic. According to “the Roman Republic” (n.d), Rome experienced a revolt over the rule of one of its kings due to the misbehavior of the King’s son.
The king’s name was Tarquinius. The king fought but failed to redeem his city. “The rebellion against Tarquinius failed to achieve final independence for Rome, but it should be the birth of the Roman Republic” (“The Roman Republic” n.d).
The article is important in that it helps us to know where the Romans and the Roman city came from. It explicitly shows the ideas behind the formation of the city and the myths which try to explain the circumstances that prevailed during formation of the city and the roman Republic. The article also clarifies the issue concerning the mythical kings and the kings who are historically recognized. It shows the time when the first known king emerged, whose behavior and activities led to the emergence of the Roman Republic.
In conclusion, the article, “The Founding of Rome,” is an historical account showing the origin of the Romans and how they became organized as one community that later formed a great city. The Roman people had to learn much from the people who surrounded them, especially the Greeks. The article also shows that there is no legitimate record of the origin of Rome.
This clarifies many questions about the emergence of the mighty Roman Empire. The Romans therefore believe in myths that explain their origin. These myths have some connection with recorded events in the history of Romans and therefore the Romans assume that they have some truth.
Reference List
“The Founding of Rome.” 2007. Illustrated History of the Roman Empire. Web.
“The Roman Republic.” N.d. Illustrated History of the Roman Empire. Web.