Romulus and
Remus were the twin brothers and main characters of
Rome's foundation myth. (The pronunciation in English is different from the Latin original
Romulus and
Remus). Their mother was
Rhea Silvia, daughter of
Numitor, king of
Alba Longa. Before their conception, Numitor's brother
Amulius seized power, killed Numitor's male heirs and forced Rhea Silvia to become a
Vestal Virgin, sworn to
chastity. Rhea Silvia conceived the twins by the god
Mars. Once the twins were born, Amulius had them abandoned to die in the
Tiber river. They were saved by a series of miraculous interventions: the river carried them to safety, a she-wolf found and
suckled them, and a woodpecker fed them.
A shepherd and
his wife found them and
fostered them to manhood as simple shepherds. The twins, still ignorant of their true origins, proved to be natural leaders. Each acquired many followers. When they discovered the truth of their birth, they killed Amulius and restored Numitor to his throne. Rather than wait to inherit Alba Longa, they chose to found a new city.
