The story of Romulus is the foundational narrative of Rome, a tale of divine destiny, fratricide, and the establishment of a civilization that would shape the Western world. According to legend, the twins Romulus and Remus, sons of the god Mars and the priestess Rhea Silvia, were abandoned as infants but survived to found the city that would bear one brother's name. Understanding the Romulus timeline requires navigating the blurred lines between myth and historical probability, tracing a journey from a miraculous birth to the establishment of a kingdom that laid the groundwork for an empire.
The Divine Origins and Early Exile
The timeline begins not in Rome, but in the royal court of King Numitor of Alba Longa. His brother Amulius seized power, killed Numitor's male heirs, and forced Rhea Silvia into priesthood to prevent any challenge to his rule. However, the god Mars intervened, impregnating her. The resulting twins were a threat to Amulius, so he ordered them to be drowned in the Tiber River. Instead of meeting their end, the infants were washed ashore and famously suckled by a she-wolf, a symbol of primal strength and survival. They were later discovered and raised by the shepherd Faustulus, who kept their true identity hidden. This period of infancy and exile represents the crucial, hidden gestation phase of Rome's future power, a time of vulnerability protected by divine intervention and animal instinct.
The Founding of the City
As young men, Romulus and Remus became natural leaders, eventually launching a rescue mission for their grandfather Numitor and restoring him to the throne of Alba Longa. Their success emboldened them to seek out a new location to establish their own city. The area that would become Rome, specifically the Palatine Hill, was chosen. However, the question of who would rule the new city led to a dispute. The brothers agreed to seek a sign from the gods through augury, observing the flight of birds. Romulus claimed to see twelve vultures, while Remus claimed to see six. The dispute escalated, and in a moment of tragic conflict, Romulus killed his brother. This pivotal event, while brutal, cemented Romulus as the sole founder and established the city on the principle of Roman authority, a stark lesson that the rule of Rome would often demand difficult, even bloody, decisions.
The Establishment of the Kingdom
With Remus dead and his rival gone, Romulus began the work of building his city. The early years were marked by a desperate need for population, as the small band of followers was insufficient for a thriving metropolis. His solution was the infamous Rape of the Sabine Women, an event that, while morally complex, ensured the city's growth through the creation of Roman families. Romulus then established the foundational institutions of Roman society. He created the Senate, a council of elders who advised him, and organized the populace into curiae, based on kinship. He instituted laws, famously including the right of asylum, which offered protection to runaway slaves and criminals, fostering a new, diverse identity. This period of the timeline, roughly spanning from 753 BCE to the early 7th century BCE, was one of raw nation-building, defining the political and social structures that would become hallmarks of the Roman state.
Challenges and Divine Approval
Looking at Romulus timeline from another angle can help expand the discussion and give readers a second clear paragraph under the same section.
More perspective on Romulus timeline can make the topic easier to follow by connecting earlier points with a few simple takeaways.
