L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, AUGUST 24 2023 www.italoamericano.org 10 L'Italo-Americano HERITAGE HISTORY IDENTITY TRADITIONS A s y o u w a n d e r through Rome' s grand piazzas, beneath tower- ing arches, and past magnificent fountains, you can't help but feel the greatness of its past right before your eyes: the Colos- seum is an ode to human ingenuity, the Pantheon a marvel of architecture, and the Vatican a beacon of art and faith. There's no place q u i t e l i k e R o m e , i t ' s t h e truth. Now, imagine standing on the Palatine Hill, overlook- ing the Roman Forum: you can almost hear the echoes of Rome's glorious past, with i t s e m p e r o r s , g l a d i a t o r s , poets, and philosophers... because the beauty of Rome lies also in what its history and monuments make you think of: the greatness of an e m p i r e , t h e i n g e n u i t y o f M i c h e l a n g e l o , t h e l i f e o f saints. But have you ever stopped for a moment and wondered where and how it all began? How did this eternal city, this masterpiece of civiliza- tion, come to be? Well, tradi- t i o n s a y s i t a l l b e g a n w i t h R o m u l u s a n d h i s brother Remus, and with t h e s h e - w o l f t h a t r a i s e d them. But who was Romulus, and what do we truly know about him? M o s t o f u s a r e f a m i l i a r with the story of Romulus, Remus and the lupa, the she- w o l f , a s d e p i c t e d i n t h e f a m o u s s c u l p t u r e L u p a Capitolina. According to legend, they were the sons of Rhea Silvia and Mars, the god of war. Upon reaching adulthood, the twins decided to build a city but a disagree- ment over the location led Romulus to kill Remus, and thus, Rome was born, named after its founder. A n c i e n t s o u r c e s s u c h as Livy and Plutarch immo rtalized this tale, weaving it i n t o t h e f a b r i c o f R o m a n identity. Livy, a Roman his- t o r i a n w h o l i v e d f r o m 5 9 BCE to 17 CE described the birth of Rome in its master- p i e c e A b U r b e C o n d i t a (From the Founding of the City): this extensive history o f R o m e , s p a n n i n g 1 4 2 books, begins with the myth- ical origins of the city and continues through the early years of the Roman Empire. In his writings, Livy pre- sents the story of Romulus and Remus with a sense of r e v e r e n c e a n d n a t i o n a l pride, while he describes the divine intervention that led t o t h e t w i n s ' b i r t h , t h e i r upbringing by the she-wolf, and the subsequent found- ing of Rome by Romulus. L i v y ' s a c c o u n t i s r i c h i n detail and imbued with a s e n s e o f d e s t i n y , w h e r e Romulus is a heroic figure guided by the gods. And it a l l m a k e s s e n s e b e c a u s e Livy's work was created as a moral and cultural guide, and reflected the values and virtues of Roman society. His portrayal of Romulus embodies the Roman ideals of courage, leadership, and piety. Greek historian and biog- rapher Plutarch, who lived from 46 to 119 CE, is known for his work Parallel Lives, a c o l l e c t i o n o f b i o g r a p h i e s comparing famous Greeks and Romans. In his Life of Romulus, he explores the c h a r a c t e r a n d d e e d s o f Rome's legendary founder. U n l i k e L i v y , P l u t a r c h approaches the story with a more analytical eye, examin- ing various versions of the legend and offering insights into Romulus's character. He presents Romulus as a complex figure, driven by ambition and vision, yet also c a p a b l e o f r u t h l e s s n e s s . P l u t a r c h ' s a c c o u n t i s n o t m e r e l y a r e t e l l i n g o f t h e myth but an exploration of human nature and leader- ship; he delves into the psy- chological aspects of Romu- l u s ' s a c t i o n s , g i v i n g u s a nuanced understanding of the man behind the legend. B u t w h o w a s , f o r r e a l Romulus, the man who gave Rome its name? What does history really tell us about him? Some believe he was a k i n g , a l e a d e r w h o r u l e d with wisdom and strength d u r i n g t h e e a r l y d a y s o f Rome, around the 8th cen- tury BCE. Others think that "Romulus" was more of a title, signifying a founder or a great leader. Truth is that evidence is scarce, and much of what we know is shroud- ed in legend and lore. Yet, there may be whis- pers of truth in all these leg- ends and tales. Excavations o n t h e P a l a t i n e H i l unclovered settlements dat- ing back to the time when Romulus was said to have lived. Certain rituals and institutions attributed to him, such as the establish- ment of the Roman Senate, may reflect genuine histori- cal practices. And despite the mystery — or perhaps, thanks to it — Romulus's legacy endures and can be seen everywhere, because he inspired more than history books, he gave life to art and culture. The iconic image of the she-wolf n u r s i n g R o m u l u s a n d Remus is a recurring theme in Roman art, captured in b r o n z e a n d s t o n e , a n d a r t i s t s l i k e P e t e r P a u l Rubens have painted scenes from the legend, infusing them with drama and emo- tion. The Romulus temple in the Roman Forum reminds u s h e w a s a g o d f o r t h e ancient Romans, who called his deified version Quirinus, and the ancient Luperca- lia, celebrated with feasts and rituals, are believed to have honored the she-wolf a n d t h e t w i n s . L i t e r a r y w o r k s , s u c h a s V i r g i l ' s Aeneid, traced Romulus's lineage back to the Trojan hero Aeneas, weaving his s t o r y i n t o t h e f a b r i c o f Roman identity. Romulus, just like the city he founded, is suspended between two worlds: past and present for Rome, histo- ry and legend for him. We m a y n e v e r d i s c o v e r i f h e really existed or not, nor if h e r e a l l y k i l l e d h i s t w i n brother. But it doesn't mat- ter: Romulus is one of those figures that will always be real, even if legendary. As the symbol of Rome, he'll be forever truer than reality itself. The original Capitoline She-Wolf is an Etruscan bronze sculpture. In the 15th century, the two babies were added (Photo: Lornet/Dreamstime) The myth of Romulus, father of Rome GIULIA FRANCESCHINI

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