This is an analysis of the myth of Romulus and Remus.

The Roman foundation myth of the twins Romulus and Remus’ exposure in the wilderness is in many ways exemplary of the elevation of a local myth into a powerful symbol of imperial legitimacy. My approach to this subject will centre on three main case-studies from the Eastern Mediterranean during the second century BCE, an integral period in Rome’s cultural and military emergence beyond Italia into greater Greek cultural awareness. The first is the manufacture on Chios of a narrative of the Roman twins by an unknown benefactor in order to gain Rome’s favour; the second, the inclusion of the Roman myth as one of nineteen scenes in a temple constructed at Cyzicus by the Attalid rulers of Pergamon in honour of their mother. The third is the nativity myth of the eponymous founder of the city of Miletus, who in one second century BCE account, with many similarities to the Roman myth, is exposed and nursed by a pack of wolves. Throughout this exploration I will endeavour to illustrate the multifaceted nature of the Roman foundational myth and the way in which its different elements could appeal to diverse audiences who reappropriated and reshaped it for their own ends.

Vesta and the Vestal Virgins represented the very core of Roman cultural identity, and Augustus positioned his public image beside them to augment his political legitimacy. Through analysis of material culture, historiography, and poetry that originated during the principate of Augustus, it becomes clear that each of these sources of evidence contributes to the public image projected by the leader whom Ronald Syme considered to be the first Roman emperor. The Ara Pacis Augustae and the Res Gestae Divi Augustae embody the legacy the Emperor wished to establish, and each of these cultural works contain significant references to the Vestal Virgins. The study of history Livy undertook also emphasized the pathetic plight of Rhea Silvia as she was compelled to become a Vestal. Livy and his contemporary Dionysius of Halicarnassus explored the foundation of the Vestal Order and each writer had his own explanation about how Numa founded it. The Roman poets Virgil, Horace, Ovid, and Tibullus incorporated Vesta and the Vestals into their work in a way that offers further proof of the way Augustus insinuated himself into the fabric of Roman cultural identity by associating his public image with these honored priestesses.

Complete technical report by Rachel Sabino with contributions from Lorenzo Lazzarini follows the comprehensive curatorial essay by Katharine A. Raff.

Roman society in the pre-urban period, as appears in the foundation legend, in contrast to the Indo-Europeans, was not patriarchal. It differs in terms of the structure of the classical Roman and Greek society which bears the typical pattern of the Indo-European patriarchal family. In the pre-urban social system in Rome, the existence of the classical family group of the father, mother and children did not exist. The only reliable kinship group was that based on the blood relationship with the mother. It could be suggested that matrilineal succession existed in Rome under the kings, but only in one generation, mother – son. The system of succession in Rome in which the king’s daughter’s son had a chance to be a new king was abolished with the last of the kings.