Discover the Top 14 Fun Facts About Romulus and Remus: Unraveling the Secrets of Rome's Legendary Founders!

1. She-Wolf Sitcom

In a classic case of "bad upbringing turns out okay," Romulus and Remus were thrown a bone when a she-wolf decided to take them under her furry wing. Talk about maternal instincts: As it turns out, the famous twin founders of Rome discovered that their real mom was a four-legged furball, who nursed and nurtured them until a shepherd happened by to take them home. Just like in a wacky sitcom, things turned out pretty well for ol' Rom and Rem: The serious reveal: According to Roman mythology, the she-wolf cared for the twins after they were abandoned as infants, creating an enduring symbol for Rome itself. However, there is no actual evidence that they were fully raised by the she-wolf, just that she looked after them briefly before their human discovery.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

2. Goddess Lupa Misinterpretation

If fairy tales began with "once upon a wolf" instead of "once upon a time," Romulus and Remus might have felt right at home: Despite the legend of the twin founders of Rome being raised by a she-wolf, archaeological evidence points towards their wolfish upbringing being a misinterpretation of their ties to the goddess Lupa, who was revered as a protectress of children and often portrayed as a wolf.
Source => carlos.emory.edu

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=> Fun Facts about Rome

3. Wild-Child Duo's Myth

Before doggy daycare and wet-nosed nannies, Rome's most famous wild-child duo gained fame for mastering the wolf-taught ways of mischief and myth: Romulus and Remus, founders of the ancient city, were raised by a she-wolf after being abandoned as infants, with no ancient sources mentioning their parents, Mars and Rhea Silvia, playing a part in their early lives.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

4. Mars' Divine Love Affair

When Mars met a maiden: a tale as old as time, but this time, with galactic consequences! Rhea Silvia, a Vestal Virgin sworn to celibacy, had a divine fling with Mars, the god of war: The unexpected love affair resulted in the birth of twins Romulus and Remus, who would go on to found the great city of Rome; their celestial conception immortalized in Roman art, like the Casali Altar, the Portland Vase, and the Palazzo Mattei.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

5. Riverbank Daycare

In a twist of fate that would make a Ferris Bueller's day off seem tame, two legendary infants wound up in a riverbank daycare run by none other than Rome's most famous lupine nanny: A she-wolf nursed and cared for Romulus and Remus after they were tossed into the Tiber River by their sinister uncle, Amulius. Swept to safety, their hairy hostess provided sustenance and snuggles until they were found by a shepherd named Faustulus, who took the future founders of Rome under his wing – or rather, his cloak.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

6. Bird-Watching Battle

Sibling rivalries can be fierce, but Romulus and Remus left everyone else quaking in their togas when they played a game of "I Spy" for the ages: In Roman mythology, the brothers consulted the gods through bird watching to decide where to found Rome, with Romulus ultimately winning by spotting more birds than Remus, leading to Rome's establishment on the Palatine Hill.
Source => worldhistory.org

7. Woodpecker Childcare

They say it takes a village to raise a child, but in ancient Rome, it took a she-wolf and a woodpecker with a knack for childcare and meal planning: According to legend, Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, were not only nursed by a she-wolf, but a woodpecker also played a vital role in their upbringing by finding and providing them with food. This helpful bird has since earned its spot on the city's coat of arms.
Source => ducksters.com

8. Raised by Wolves Symbolism

Taking "raised by wolves" to a whole new level: Romulus and Remus, the legendary founders of Rome, were allegedly nurtured and brought up by a she-wolf, as depicted in various artworks, such as the renowned 5th century BCE Capitoline She-Wolf statue, symbolizing their wild upbringing in the eternal city's mythical origins.
Source => worldhistory.org

9. Mythical Sibling Rivalry

When sibling rivalry reaches a whole new level, and Cain and Abel have nothing on these two brothers: Romulus and Remus found themselves at each other's throats while deciding the location of their new city, leading to Remus's untimely demise. However, this fratricidal tale lacks solid historical evidence, making it more of a mythic hand-me-down spun for ancient Roman bedtime stories than an actual homicide case for the world to solve.
Source => classicalwisdom.com

10. Lupercalia Festival Antics

Whoever said Rome wasn't built in a day clearly forgot to mention that it all started with two men running around naked with animal-creased hides whipping women towards prosperity: Romulus and Remus, the legendary twin brothers who were abandoned as infants, raised by a she-wolf, and founded the city of Rome in 753 BC. Their legacy lives on in the Lupercalia festival, which celebrated fertility with rituals such as sacrificing a goat and a dog, dressing a figure in the animals' skins to represent the god Lupercus, and the aforementioned naked-whipping escapades.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

11. Murderous King of the Hill

In a snarling bout of family feud, Romulus and Remus took sibling rivalry to a whole new level, proving that when in Rome, you might just do as the Romans do: namely, play a murderous game of "King of the Hill": The legendary founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus were reportedly twin brothers raised by a nurturing she-wolf before founding the illustrious city. Alas, a spat over leadership led Romulus to slay his brother Remus, thus becoming Rome's sole ruler. But don't bet the Colosseum on this tantalizing tale, as speculations suggest the accuracy of these events might be lost in the sands of time.
Source => unrv.com

12. Romulus' Vanishing Act

It turns out Romulus was quite the magician, performing vanishing acts that would make Houdini green with envy: The disappearance of Romulus remains an enigmatic tale, with theories ranging from a senatorial assassination to divine transformation, and even an extraterrestrial eclipse-related abduction.
Source => ancient-origins.net

13. Sheep-centered Coachella

Who knew the ancient Roman version of Coachella revolved around sheep? That's right, the OG Parilia party was all about honoring those fluffy, four-legged festival-goers: Hold on to your togas, folks: The Parilia was originally a shindig in honor of the god Pales, patron of shepherds, and focused on cleansing sheep and shepherds alike. Only later was this bleat-centric bash associated with the founding of Rome by Romulus and Remus, giving the city's roots a proper, wooly celebration.
Source => followinghadrian.com

14. Founding the Wolfpack

Talk about the original Wolfpack: It wasn't Hollywood's "The Hangover," but rather Romulus and Remus who were raised by a she-wolf and, like any other siblings, eventually got into an epic argument: The dispute led to Romulus choosing the Palatine Hill for the founding of Rome, leaving Remus sulking and the lasting legacy of a city that keeps the myth alive today.
Source => collections.vam.ac.uk