Salve citizens of Waterloo, I Gaius Lucius Agrippa welcome you to the Forum Romanum in the magnificent city of Rome. Rejoice citizens, for today marks the first of many, the omens as told by the augurs bring good news, as today I bring you the first article of Acta Diurna. The Actua Diurna (roughly translating to Daily Acts in English) will cover a variety of topics and subjects involving the many of aspects of Roman life, culture and long history. I, Gaius Lucius Agrippa, will guide you through different practices and observances that occur in Rome and our provinces. Once more on Behalf of the Senate and the People of Rome, I bid you welcome!
Appropriately for this first article, I present to you the beginning of our great city. We turn back the sands of time to a period predating the Republic of Rome, to a time when the Greek Poleis were at the height of their power. Citizens, I take you back to the founding of Rome.
It is told that the first kings of Rome trace their lineage back to the ancient Trojans of the fallen city of Troy. Aeneas, son of Prince Anchises and the goddess Venus was one of the few Trojans who survived and escaped after the fall of Troy. It is said, that the gods have told Aeneas to gather the other survivors of Troy, and to flee. The Aeneads—as they have come to be known—travelled far from their home city of Troy in search of a new beginning.
Six years of wandering and search led the Aeneads to the reaches of Carthage ruled by Queen Dido. It is said Queen Dido offered the Aeneads land and space to settle within her kingdom, offering Aeneas the opportunity to rule jointly over their people. It is said that Aeneas had a year-long affair with the Carthaginian Queen which was abruptly ended by the appearance of the God Mercury at the beckoning of Jupiter and Venus. Aeneas was reminded of his original intentions of his journey, and left the city with the rest of the Trojans. At the sight of their ships leaving Queen Dido cursed Aeneas and his descendants culminating in the continuous strife between Rome and Carthage which become known as the Punic Wars.
Leaving Carthage, the journey led the Aeneads north across the Tyrrhenian Sea and into Latium on the Western Coast of Italy. Latinus, King of the Latins welcomed Aeneas and let them settle in his lands. It is said that Aeneas wed Lavinia, the daughter of King Latinus who was originally betrothed to Turnus, King of the Rutuli. This sparked a war between the Latins and the Rutuli. In the course of the war Aeneas triumphed and killed Turnus, giving him and the other Aeneads the right to settle and assimilate with the local Latins. It is said that this began a line of kings which bring us to the actual founding of the City of Rome.
The founding of Rome centers around the descendants of Aeneas: Romulus and Remus. They were twin brothers born by Rhea Silvia daughter of Numitor, and the god Mars. Years earlier, Numitor was unjustly thrown from the Kingdom by his brother Amulius, and Rhea Silvia was forced to become a Vestal Virgin to prevent any challenges to Amulius’ claim to the throne.
After the birth of Romulus and Remus, they were left to die at the banks of the Tiber River and Rhea Silvia was buried alive at the command of Amulius. By the will of the gods and through a series of miracles, the twins survived and were raised by a she-wolf. They were then found by a shepherd and his wife, who ended up raising them. They grew and led lives as simple shepherds. Over the course of time, they grew exhibiting leadership skills, and attracting followers all the while ignorant of their lineage. It is said that they ran across conflict with the shepherds of their great uncle Amulius. Remus, who was captured during the quarrel was brought to Amulius where he learned of his true identity. Romulus joined together with other shepherds with the intention of saving his brother, and in the process Amulius was killed.
After discovering their true identities, they were both offered the kingdom, but opted to restore their grandfather Numitor to the throne. It is said, that after this point they went onwards to start their own city with their followers. Upon discovering what became known as the Seven Hills of Rome, the brothers quarreled about the site for their future city. They argued upon whether to place the city on the Aventine Hill or the Palatine Hill. Eventually they agreed to let the matters be a decision of the gods, by way of augury.
Each of the brothers travelled to their preferred hills and prepared to take the auspices. Both brothers claimed superior auguries. Romulus, making the claim first set his supporters in building a wall around the Palatine Hill marking the boundaries of his new city. Remus, taken aback by his brother’s dismissal of his claim for the Aventine Hill, insulted Romulus and leaps over the wall. It is said that Remus was murdered by Romulus after the insult, and stating ‘So perish every one that shall hereafter leap over my wall’. Thus, Rome’s founding began with bloodshed foreshadowing a future of war, strife, and power.
Rome gains its name from Romulus, and he became the first King of Rome. Romulus envisioned a system of government built upon a social hierarchy in a patron-client fashion; with this in mind he divided his followers into various classes. From his followers he selected the noblest, wealthiest, and those closest to him to be his council. The Patricians as he called them were known as the fathers of Rome, being the shapers, and supports of Rome’s culture and social structure. The elders of the society and those who also served as advisors for Romulus became known as the Senate which became the basis for all of Roman Government. The able-bodied, and the soldiers, Romulus called legions and divided between regiments of 3000 infantry and 300 cavalry.
Situated by the Tiber River, Romulus cultivated and grew Rome’s strength and size by way of trade. Soon the size of the city grew encompassing its surrounding hills. From the original perimeter around the Palatine Hill, Rome’s reaches expanded to the Aventine, the Caelian, the Capitoline and Quirinal Hills. Over time, Rome continued to grow, often clashing arms against neighbouring kingdoms. Through the strength and skill of Romulus as both a warrior and a leader Rome triumphed. It is said that Romulus mysteriously vanished in a gust of wind, during a public offering on the Quirinal Hill. It is proclaimed that the city’s great founder achieved divinity that day. Rome stood tall that day, and it is known that we as Romans, stand among the gods, for this great city shall be the centre of the known world.
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