The she-wolf feeding the twins Romulus and Remus, the most famous image associated with the founding of Rome
© Carole Raddato
Today is the traditional date given for the founding of Rome. According to Roman mythology, the founders were Romulus and Remus, twin brothers and supposed sons of the god Mars and the priestess Rhea Silvia. The twins were then abandoned by their parents as babies (because of a prophecy that they would overthrow their great-uncle Amulius), but were saved by a she-wolf who found and nursed them. Romulus killed his brother after a vicious quarrel, and went on to establish a city, which he named after him.
Although the original dates by Roman historians varied between 758 and 728 BC, the official date was set as 753 BC. Archaeologists have traced evidence of villages on the Palatine Hill to around the 9th century BC. Romans celebrated the founding of their city every April 21st in…
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