Romulus

The Survivor

Romulus was supposed to be dead. Ordered drowned as an infant by his great-uncle Amulius, he instead survived through a combination of human mercy and wolf instinct. The servant who should have killed him couldn't do it. A she-wolf who'd lost her own litter found the basket and nursed the twins inside.

From that impossible beginning, Romulus would build a city that outlasted every empire that came before it.

The Twin

Romulus had an identical twin brother, Remus. Same face. Same strength. Same destiny — or so they thought.

The brothers were raised by the shepherd Faustulus, believing themselves common shepherds' sons. They grew into dangerous young men: quick to fight, natural leaders, impossible to defeat. Only when they were drawn into local politics did they discover their true heritage as princes of Alba Longa.

With that knowledge came ambition.

The Founding

After overthrowing their great-uncle and restoring their grandfather to his throne, the brothers decided to found a new city. They chose the banks of the Tiber — near the very spot where they'd been abandoned as infants.

But which brother would rule?

They agreed to let the gods decide through augury — watching the flight of birds for divine signs. Remus saw six vultures. Romulus saw twelve. Both claimed victory: Remus argued he'd seen his birds first; Romulus argued he'd seen more.

The argument turned violent. When Remus mockingly jumped over Romulus's newly built wall, Romulus killed him.

"So perish anyone who leaps over my walls."

Rome was founded on fratricide.

The First King

Romulus ruled Rome for nearly forty years. He established the Senate. He created the Roman legions. He opened the city as a sanctuary for refugees and outlaws — giving Rome its first citizens, though it also meant the city was short on women.

His solution? The famous Rape of the Sabines — inviting neighboring tribes to a festival, then abducting their daughters for Roman wives. When the Sabines came for revenge, the abducted women threw themselves between the armies, refusing to watch their fathers kill their husbands.

Ruthless. Practical. Effective. Romulus founded a city in his own image.

The Disappearance

In 717 BCE, during a sudden violent storm, Romulus vanished. He was reviewing his army when the sky went dark. When the light returned, the king was gone.

The official story: Romulus had been taken up to heaven and transformed into the god Quirinus. A noble end for Rome's founder.

The whispered story: The senators, tired of his increasingly autocratic rule, had torn him to pieces under cover of the storm and hidden the body parts beneath their robes.

Perhaps both stories are true to who Romulus was — a man who could be revered as a god or murdered by his own people, depending on which face of him you saw.

Frequently Asked Questions

1Did Romulus really kill his twin brother?

According to Roman legend, yes. Romulus killed Remus for mocking his city walls. Whether this reflects actual events or is mythological, Romans took the story seriously — it shaped their understanding of their city's violent origins and the sacred nature of boundaries.

2Why did Romulus kidnap the Sabine women?

Early Rome was populated largely by male refugees and outlaws seeking sanctuary. Without wives, the city couldn't sustain itself. Romulus's solution — abducting women from the neighboring Sabine tribe — was brutal but, in his view, necessary for Rome's survival.

3What happened to Romulus when he died?

Romulus vanished during a storm in 717 BCE. Official accounts claimed he ascended to become the god Quirinus. Alternative accounts suggest senators murdered him. The mystery of his death has never been resolved.

4How long did Romulus rule Rome?

Romulus ruled Rome for approximately 37-38 years, from the city's traditional founding date of 753 BCE until his disappearance in 717 BCE. He established many of Rome's fundamental institutions, including the Senate and the legion system.

Hear Romulus's Story

Experience the full legend of Rome's founder — from abandoned infant to divine king — narrated by the wolf who saved him.