Founding myths of rome

Ren

New Member
Everyone's heard the story of Romulus and Remus, but there is another founding story of Rome. When Rome was under Etruscan rule, benefiting from their art, culture, and architecture, a certain nobleman's wife, Lucretia, was sexually harassed by an Etruscan prince. She was so conservative and ideally Roman in her beliefs that she committed suicide before defiling herself. Her death spurred Rome's first struggle for independence. Thoughts? Do you know any other founding myths of Rome?
 

LegendofJoe

Active Member
This story concerning Lucretia I remember as how Rome lost its monarchy.
After this a republic was founded. There were I believe ten legendary kings.
Rome became wary of kingship ever since.
I believe this is the reason that Julius Ceasar was murdered: he had assumed too much power.
 

Ren

New Member
Indeed it was. The Republic was extremely wary of any one man having too much power. This is why there were always two consuls with equal authority. Caesar gained near obsessive loyalty from his troops and a celebrity/hero type reputation with the Romans during his conquests in Gaul. The Senate demanded he disband his army before reentering the city. He refused (all part of the plan), saying his men were heroes and deserve respect and reward. He was an outlaw as soon as he crossed the bridge. There's a famous quote by Caesar, "The die is cast." And then he crossed the Rubicon.
 

LegendofJoe

Active Member
I also think that the reason Augustus Caesar got away with becoming the first Roman Emperor is because he acted like he did not want it.
At least that is the impression I got from a special i saw about the first emperors.
 

Ren

New Member
This is also true. Octavian really will be the death of the Republic in that his one-man rule will be unchallenged. He feigns reluctance in returning to Rome to rule after the 31 B.C. Battle of Actium in 31 B.C. in which he defeated Marc Antony and Cleopatra, who both commited suicide. Octavian spends four years in Portugal, and in 27 B.C. he and Agrippa become consuls when he returns to Rome to return his Imperium. The yes-men in the Senate immediately give it back to Octavian for life, the very thing denied to Caesar. He then becomes Caesar Augustus, ushering the famed Pax Romana.
 

Ren

New Member
This is when the Romans start using volcanic cement for their roads, Virgil writes the Aeneid, and Augustus writes Res Gestae, or "things done." Interesting side note: Augustus gets his own month, August, which absolutely must have at least 31 days (dripping sarcasm), because July does (Julius Caesar's month), which is why February has 29.
 

Lorey

New Member
Do you know, I've never even put together the months with the Roman Empowers, but now it all makes so much sense! Duh! Also, it's crazy how some people obtain power through the people, but then the people end up hating them for it.
 
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