Aeneas, Romulus & Remus Flashcards
(16 cards)
What was the Trojan War?
A 10 year war of the Greeks vs the Trojans.
Ended with a Greek victory - after their Trojan horse trick (most of Troy’s inhabitants were killed).
Who was Aeneas?
A prince of Troy.
Mother = Venus.
His father was called Anchises.
His son was called Ascanius.
(Alternative Interpretation: Anchises = the past, Aeneas = present, Anchises = future)
What happened during the flight of Aeneas?
When Troy was besieged, he was told to flee by the gods - as he had destiny awaiting him.
He escaped with his father and son, but his wife was killed in the city during their escape.
Aeneas led a group of surviving Trojans to find a new homeland abroad.
What happened on Aeneas’ journeys?
Aeneas and his followers jouneyed the Mediterranean in search of their homeland.
Aeneas’ father died on their journey - in Sicily.
The Trojans reach Carthage, and Aeneas and Dido have a love affair.
Dido proposed the Trojans settle but a message given by Mercury from Jupiter & Venus reminded Aeneas of his destiny in Italy - he chose duty over Dido; Dido cursed the Trojans and killed herself in grief.
What happened after the Trojans arrived in Italy?
Latinus, the king of the Latins in Latium, marries his daughter to Aeneas - Turnus, king of the Rutuli was promised this - when the Trojans settle near the site of Rome.
Turnus went to war with Aeneas over Lavinia’s hand; Aeneas won the war and names the city Lavinium.
Why did Aeneas visit the Underworld?
After leaving Carthage, Aeneas’ ships encounter a storm & divert to Sicily - where a year before his father had died.
Aeneas held sacrificial offerings and funeral games in commemoration.
He is visited by the spirit of Anchises who tells him to visit him in the Underworld.
What happened on Aeneas’ journey to the Underworld?
(near today’s Naples) Aeneas meets a sibyl in a temple of Apollo, where he is told to break off a golden branch from a special tree - only then he will be fated to visit the Underworld by the gods.
Venus’ doves guide him to the branch.
Aeneas comes across the River Styx and Charon - at first Aeneas is rejected, but after seeing the golden branch, he is ferried across.
Aeneas explores the Underworld - see Dido and explains he left for the will of the gods.
Finds Anchises, who tells Aeneas of the destiny of the Roman race, Caesar & Augustus.
What did Aeneas do for the rest of his life, once the Trojans settled in Italy?
He ruled the city of Lavinium for the rest of his life.
This marked the start of the Roman Empire.
Upon his death, Aeneas was deified.
What was the story of Alba Longa?
Was ruled by Numitor, who was overthrown by his brother Amulius.
Amulius killed all of Numitor’s male heirs; forced Numitor’s daughter (Rhea Silvia) to be a Vestal Virgin.
What was the story of the birth and upbringing of Romulus & Remus?
One night, Rhea Silvia (Numitor’s Vestal Virgin daughter) was impregnated by Mars; she had twins (Romulus & Remus).
Amulius ordered the murder if these twins, but the soldiers couldn’t bring themselves to do it - send them down the River Tiber in a basket protected by the river god Tibernius.
The twins ended up at the foot of the Palatine Hill, where they were found by a she-wolf who cared for them and suckled them.
The twins were found by a shepherd and his wife, who raised them to adulthood - raised as shepherds.
What did Romulus & Remus do to overthrow Amulius?
Their group of shepherds got into a conflict with the shepherds working for Amulius.
Remus was brought before Amulius who learnt of their survival, Romulus and his band of shepherds liberated Remus & killed Amulius.
They reinstated Numitor as the rightful king of Alba Longa.
What was the story of Romulus finding a site for Rome?
Romulus and Remus decided to found a new city away from Alba Longa (instead of waiting to inherit Alba Longa from Numitor).
Romulus wanted to build the city on the Palatine Hill; Remus wanted to on the Aventine Hill.
They decided to wait for omens to decide: firstly, Remus saw 6 vultures above the Aventine Hill - Romulus later saw 12 vultures over the Palatine Hill.
This resulted in a stalemate.
Romulus built a wall around the Palatine Hill, Remus mocked it by jumping over it - Romulus killed Remus.
Thus, Romulus was now the sole founder of “Rome” and became its first king.
How was the Roman race born?
Romulus finished building his city and organised the Roman society.
The city grew as it allowed refugees, runaway slaves and exiles to call Rome their home - most of these were men, however.
What did Rome do when it found itself short of women?
They seized the Sabine women and took them to Rome.
The Latins & Sabines were furious and they attacked Rome.
Eventually, the conflict ended and the Sabines and Romans were united for 5 years - shared culture and customs.
Why did Romulus become the sole ruler of the Sabines and Romans?
Tatius, the Sabine king, was killed whilst dealing with a mistake he made.
Romulus, now the sole king, organised his people into tribes represented in the government by a tribune each.
How did Romulus “die”?
He was caught up in a whirlwind and disappeared.
Some claimed he was deified.
