Roman Myths, Legends, and Tales

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Roman Myths, Legends, and Tales

The Legend of Lucretia: Virtue, Tragedy, and the Birth of the Roman Republic

The Legend of Lucretia comes from ancient Roman tradition and is described by Roman historians, particularly Livy in his work Ab urbe condita. This story...

The myth of the Rape of the Sabine Women is one of the oldest in Roman tradition. It appears in the works of Livy (Ab Urbe Condita), Plutarch (Life of Romulus), and *Dionysius of Halicarnassus. This tale...

The myth of Aeneas

The myth of Aeneas: The Trojan Hero Who Became the Father of Rome

The myth of Aeneas is one of the most important in Roman tradition. It took shape in the 1st century BCE, based on both Greek and Roman sources, and is most famously presented in Virgil’s epic poem, the Aeneid...

The Legend of Romulus and Remus

Romulus and Remus: The Myth Behind Rome’s Birth, Brotherhood, and Eternal Power

The myth of Romulus and Remus emerged during the early Roman Republic and is recounted in the works of Livy, Plutarch, and Dionysius of Halicarnassus...

Roman Myths, Legends, and Tales

Roman myths and legends form a collection of globally renowned stories that have been remarkably well preserved to this day. At the height of its power, the Roman Empire engaged with many cultures and peoples. It skillfully borrowed certain tales from others, adapting them to fit its own traditions and the needs of its citizens. Roman culture and religion were especially influenced by the Greeks, whose mythology laid the foundation for Rome’s own. In fact, some works were nearly identical, differing only in character names and geographical settings. A vivid example is Hercules, known in Greek mythology as Heracles.

One of the most famous Roman myths is the tale of the twin brothers Romulus and Remus. The story recounts how they were targeted for death to prevent any threat to a royal throne. Yet fate and the gods intervened. A she-wolf found them and nursed them with her milk. Later, they were discovered and raised by humans as their own. In the end, one of the twins—Romulus—grew up to found the great city of Rome, which endures to this day.

Roman mythology holds many more fascinating and morally rich myths and legends. Let’s explore them together—join our community!