Who founded the city of Rome?

               Perhaps no other city had acquired so prominent a place as Rome had in the ancient history of the world. Now the capital city of Italy, Rome is also a great cultural centre of the world situated on the banks of River Tiber, 27 km from the Mediterranean sea. The influence of Roman civilization was widespread covering the fields of art, culture, architecture, sports, education, administration, warfare and empire building, etc. Proverbs like ‘Rome was not built in a day’ or ‘Be a Roman when in Rome’ reflect the great culture and civilization of this ancient city. But do you know when was Rome founded?

               According to an old legend Rome was founded in 753 B.C. The legend, as told by the Roman writer Livy about 750 years later, says that the city was founded by twin brothers Romulus and Remus. The twin brothers (some say they were twin gods, sons of Mars — the god of war) were abandoned at birth as they were thrown into the River Tiber in a basket by their uncle who usurped the throne. But when a she-wolf heard the babies crying, she rescued them from water and gave her milk to suck. Later a shepherd brought them up as his own sons. When they grew up they killed their wicked uncle and ascended the throne. They began building a new city on one of Rome’s seven hills. But a quarrel between the two brothers led Romulus to kill Remus before the completion of the city. Romulus became the sole ruler and the city was called Rome after the name of Romulus.

               Rome was built on seven hills and the valleys in between them. The seven hills were: Palatine, Capitoline, Aventine, Caelian, Esquiline, Qurinale and Viminale. The legend says that Romulus first built the city with a small settlement on the Palatine hill which was the most isolated of hills. The common belief says that several small tribes established settlements on the seven hills which gradually grew up to form the city of Rome.

               It is said that Rome was founded on April 21, 753 B.C. The ancient Romans celebrated that day and it is still a national holiday.