Old Latium ( Latin : Latium vetus or Latium antiquum ) is a region of the Apennine Peninsula bounded to the north by the Tiber River , to the east by the central Apennine Mountains , to the west by the Mediterranean Sea and to the south by Monte Circeo . It was the territory of the Latins , an Italic tribe which included the early inhabitants of the city of Rome . Later it was also settled by various Italic tribes such as the Rutulians , Volscians , Aequi , and Hernici . The region was referred to as "old" to distinguish it from the expanded region, Latium , that included the region to the south of Old Latium, between Monte Circeo and the river Garigliano – the so-called Latium adiectum ("attached Latium"). It corresponded to the central part of the modern administrative region of Lazio , Italy , and it covered an area measuring of roughly 50 Roman miles . It was calculated by Mommsen that the region's area was about 1860 square kilometres.
80-515: Dionysius of Halicarnassus has preserved extensive information on the settlement of Latium in his book, Roman Antiquities, where he listed and discussed many legends and traditional stories related by historians and scholars, both Greek and Roman, on how Latium was settled. Pliny the Elder also wrote about Old Latium. In his book Natural History , he lists two settlements in Old Latium that at
160-485: A common source. Dionysius' concept marked a significant departure from the concept of mimesis formulated by Aristotle in the 4th century BC, which was only concerned with "imitation of nature" and not "imitation of other authors." Latin orators and rhetoricians adopted Dionysius' method of imitatio and discarded Aristotle's mimesis . Dionysius carried out extensive research for his Roman history, selecting among authorities, and preserving (for example) details of
240-786: A few exceptions: Aesulae, Pedum, Fidenae, Politorium, Bovillae, and Tolerium. It is possible that the Latinienses were settlers of the Ager Latiniensis, i. e. the area near Laurentum and Lavinium, and that the Foreti were actually settlers of the area later occupied by the Roman Forum. The Querquetulani, however, were certainly not the settlers of the Querquetulan (i.e. Caelian ) Hill in Rome as they are mentioned by Dionysius in
320-425: A few other locations. Dionysius of Halicarnassus Dionysius of Halicarnassus ( Ancient Greek : Διονύσιος Ἀλεξάνδρου Ἁλικαρνασσεύς , Dionúsios Alexándrou Halikarnasseús , ''Dionysios (son of Alexandros) of Halikarnassos''; c. 60 BC – after 7 BC) was a Greek historian and teacher of rhetoric , who flourished during the reign of Emperor Augustus . His literary style
400-461: A form integral to the identity of the Greek elite. He was a Halicarnassian . At some time after the end of the civil wars he moved to Rome , and spent twenty-two years studying Latin and literature and preparing materials for his history. During this period, he gave lessons in rhetoric , and enjoyed the society of many distinguished men. The date of his death is unknown. In the 19th century, it
480-461: A former prostitute . According to Plutarch, lupa (Latin for "wolf") was a common term for members of her profession and this gave rise to the she-wolf legend. The twins receive a proper education in the city of Gabii , before eventually winning control of the area around where Rome would be founded. Dispute over the particular hill upon which Rome should be built, the Palatine Hill or
560-555: A loose collection of small and sparsely populated protohistoric villages organised in the Bronze Age custom around the sanctuary of Mount Albanus and abandoned before it reached the urban stage. This centre was located to the east of Rome on the Corniculan Mountains, not far from Curniculum. Its identification is due to an inscription that mentions a pagus amentinus . The town of Antemnae was located three miles to
640-676: A passage in Dionysius of Halicarnassus (7.26). The site of the populus of the Vitellienses was located at the border between the Latins and the Aequians. The site of Caenina has not yet been identified with certainty. It may have been located near present-day "La Rustica" close to the Anio river , on a trade route connecting Latium with Etruria and Campania. Festus states it was close to
720-447: A personal bodyguard of 300 of the strongest and fittest among the nobles were also established: the latter, the celeres , were so-named either for their quickness, or, according to Valerius Antias , for their commander. A separation of power and measures to increase manpower were also instituted, as were Rome's religious customs and practices, and a variety of legal measures praised by Dionysius. Again, Dionysius thoroughly describes
800-665: A precipitous cliff with a splendid view over the Pomptine Marshes below; the highest point stands to ca. 460 meters (over 1500 feet) above sea level. Norba was a member of the Latin League of 499 BC. It became a Roman colony in 492 BC, initially to protect the border with the Volsci , and later serving as an important fortress guarding the Pomptine Marshes. It served in 199 BC as a place of detention for
880-596: A princely necropolis. Satricum was recorded by Pliny as the first in his list of clara oppida . It was an important and ancient settlement of the Latin and other tribes and arose near the prehistoric sanctuary of Mater Matuta . It has been identified by archaeologists at Le Ferriere, in the present Province of Latina , and it was systematically excavated by the Royal Dutch Institute in Rome in collaboration with Italian authorities. During excavations in 1977
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#1732772377234960-466: A remarkable number of settlements that have been unearthed remain unidentified. This is due to the lack of epigraphic confirmation, due to the rare use of writing in archaic times. The problem is made even more difficult because some of the ancient locations were possibly resettled during the Early Middle Ages , as was probably the case for Labicum and Collatia. A good instance of such a custom
1040-413: A sign of the approval of the gods. He prayed and witnessed an auspicious lightning bolt, after which he declared that no king shall take the throne without receiving approval from the gods. Dionysus then provided a detailed account of the 'Romulus' constitution, most probably based on the work of Terentius Varro . Romulus supposedly divides Rome into 3 tribes , each with a Tribune in charge. Each tribe
1120-456: Is Alba Longa. The location of that famous city, according to tradition founded by Ascanius and the metropolis of the Latins for 418 years, is still a mystery. Some scholars have argued that it has not yet been identified because the Ancients themselves did not know exactly where it was located and the reason for their ignorance was that Alba had never been a real city. It would rather have been
1200-419: Is a succession of terraces supported by walls of rough polygonal masonry , and approached by a road similarly supported. Here a quantity of primitive pottery has been found. The necropolis of this settlement was probably the extensive one situated at Caracupa (8th-7th century BC), near the railway station of Sermoneta, which belongs also to the 8th-6th century BC, terminating thus at the precise date at which
1280-492: Is apparently made up of two sections, the first is referred to as clara oppida and the second as populi Albenses . The last two towns mentioned among the clara oppida , Norba and Sulmo, were in fact within Latium Adiectum. They were destroyed in the 1st century BC during the war between Marius and Sulla. The second section gives the names of the populi Albenses . These were local communities inhabiting
1360-607: Is in book III of his Natural History ch. 68 and 69: In the first region moreover in Latium were the famous walled towns ( clara oppida ) Satricum , Scaptia, Politorium , Tellena , Tifata , Caenina , Ficana , Crustumeria , Ameriola , Medullum , Corniculum , Saturnia now which is Rome, Antipolis (which is now the Janiculum , a place in Rome), Antemnae , Camerium , Collatia , Amitinum , Norba , and Sulmo . Together with them
1440-473: Is mentioned by Cato, who records its founding, and by Livy and Dionysius of Halicarnassos, who describe its capture and successive demolition by Ancus Marcius. Its inhabitants would have been deported to the Aventine. These facts are part of the first expansive drive by Rome toward the sea, which also brought about the fall of Ficana and Tellenae. The excavations have uncovered remains of the fortifications and
1520-526: Is mentioned in the Aeneid, and in the history of Rome it was involved in the abduction of the Sabine women and the subsequent war. Further, Romulus is said to have installed a colony of Romans there. Later it is frequently mentioned in the wars between Rome and its neighbors. Literary sources put the destruction of Crustumerium at the end of the sixth century, but archaeologists have shown it was still occupied in
1600-529: Is provided by Falerii outside Latium Vetus. Towns which have been identified archaeologically include Satricum, Politorium, Ficana, Tellenae, Crustumerium, Corniculum, Antemnae, Collatia, Fidenae, Pedum, Apiolae, Gabii and perhaps Querquetulum. Alba Longa , Pometia and Corioli remain unidentified. Traces of the presence of the Ligures and Sicels remain in the toponymy and onomastics . The most conspicuous case and one which has given rise to long-standing debate
1680-533: Is widely accepted that Josephus ' Antiquities of the Jews was influenced by Dionysius' Roman Antiquities . In recent years, this view has been contested by several scholars. Norba Norba , an ancient town of Latium ( Adjectum ), Italy . It is situated 1 mile northwest of the modern town of Norma , on the western edge of the Volscian Mountains or Monti Lepini . The town is perched above
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#17327723772341760-653: The Aborigines , who dwelt in Reate , causing the Ligures to migrate to Liguria and the Sicels to Sicily . The migration of the tribes appears to have been from the hills and mountains of the region down towards the plains, although there are testimonies of Greek colonizers migrating by sea into the region, as in the legend of Evander , and to southern Italy, as the Sicels were considered to be both Oenotrians of Greek origin, and Rutulian of Daunian origin. The arrival of
1840-523: The Aeneads and the founding of Lavinium are claimed to mark the beginning of civilization in Latium, and 30 years after these events Alba was founded, the city that led the Latin League , a coalition of 30 cities and tribes that lasted for 500 years. While there are many different myths on the founding of these cities, it is known that the region and the Latin League were religiously influenced by
1920-475: The Aventine Hill for its strategic advantages saw the brothers fall out and Remus killed. When the time came to actually construct the city of Rome, the two brothers disputed over the particular hill upon which Rome should be built, Romulus favoring the Palatine Hill and Remus favoring what later came to be known as Remoria (possibly the Aventine Hill ). Eventually, the two deferred their decision to
2000-541: The Carthaginian hostages, and was captured and destroyed by Sulla's troops during the civil wars at the end of 82 BC. By the first century AD Norba is included by Pliny the Elder on his list of extinct cities in Latium. From excavations begun in 1901 it seems clear that the remains now visible on the site are entirely Roman. The well-preserved walls are in the polygonal style, over 2.5 km in circuit, and are entirely embankment walls, not standing free above
2080-543: The Servian Census . His first two books present a unified account of the supposed Greek origin for Rome, merging a variety of sources into a firm narrative: his success, however, was at the expense of concealing the primitive Roman actuality (as revealed by archaeology). Along with Livy , Dionysius is thus one of the primary sources for the accounts of the Roman foundation myth, and that of Romulus and Remus , and
2160-427: The populi albenses Bubentum, Corioli, Pedum, Querquetula, Tolerium, and possibly Nomentum. In his description of Augustan region I, which included Old Latium, the geographer Strabo mentions many old towns, among them Collatia , Antemnae , Fidenae and Labicum , as reduced to mere villages, private rural estates or displaced to different locations; Apiolae , Suessa and Alba Longa as disappeared; Tellenae on
2240-549: The Alban Peoples who used to receive the (sacrificial) meat on the Alban Mount: Albani, Aesolani, Accienses, Abolani, Bubetani, Bolani, Cusuetani, Coriolani, Fidenates, Foreti, Hortenses, Latinienses, Longani, Manates, Macrales, Munienses, Numinienses, Olliculani, Octulani, Pedani, Poletaurini, Querquetulani, Sicani, Sisolenses, Tolerienses, Tutienses, Vimitellari, Velienses, Venetulani, Vitellienses. The list
2320-639: The Caeninenses and killing their king, Acron . However, according to Dionysius, Romulus allowed the Caeninenses to continue to live in their hometown, although they had to accept a colony of three hundred Romans and the allotment to them of one third of their land. The town is still mentioned at the beginning of the Republic: the Vindicius who revealed the plot of the Aquilii to Publius Valerius Publicola
2400-472: The Latin adjective albus , since the rocks in the area of volcanic Mount Albanus are deep grey in colour. Giuseppe Sergi remarked that the early name of the Tiber was Albula, a name that recurs elsewhere in hydronymy where there are traces of Ligurians and Sicels. Further evidence connecting Ligures and Siculi was provided by a neolithic skeleton unearthed at Sgurgola near Anagni that was painted red, as were
2480-521: The ancient name of the Lake of Bracciano , Sabatinus Lacus and the town of Sabate on its shores, and the river Sāpis in Umbria, names based on a Pre-Indo-European root *sāb- meaning water, seen also in the name Vada Sabatia (today Vado Ligure ). The land of Old Latium was mostly fertile, and agriculture was practiced in the lowlands since an early time. In the lowlands, cereals and legumes were grown. In
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2560-464: The best Attic models: The last two treatises are supplemented by letters to Gn. Pompeius and Ammaeus (two, one of which is about Thucydides). Dionysian imitatio is the literary method of imitation as formulated by Dionysius, who conceived it as the rhetorical practice of emulating, adapting, reworking, and enriching a source text by an earlier author. It shows marked similarities with Quintilian 's view of imitation, and both may derive from
2640-583: The cult of Iuppiter Latiaris, an epithet of Jupiter , and venerated this god as the high protector of the league. The accounting provided by Pliny the Elder does not include all the centres of Latium Vetus that later developed into towns, but rather lists those which, according to the scholar, had disappeared by his time without leaving any trace. Therefore, he does not mention Anxur , Tibur , Cora , Ficulea , Nomentum , Praeneste , Gabii , Ardea , Aricia , Tusculum , Lavinium , Laurentum , Lanuvium , Labicum , and Velitrae , which were still standing, with
2720-517: The daughter of King Latinus of the Original Latin tribes , thus linking Rome to Trojans and Latins both. Dionysius lays out the different accounts of her pregnancy and the twins' conception, but declines to choose one over the others. Citing Fabius , Cincius , Porcius Cato , and Piso , Dionysius recounts the most common tale, whereby the twins are to be tossed into the Tiber ; are left at
2800-442: The development of Ostia . Excavations have unearthed the town wall, housing areas and a necropolis. Long-necked amphoras decorated with reliefs or scratches of a style typical of 7th-century Old Latium testify to the early quality of the local material culture. The Ficana site is now an archaeological park. Also known in the sources as Medullia , its exact location is unknown. It was the hometown of Hostus Hostilius 's family and
2880-472: The end of the festival, Romulus and the young men seized all the virgins at the festival and planned to marry them according to their customs. In his narrative, however, the cities of Caecina , Crustumerium , and Antemnae petition for Tatius , king of the Sabines to lead them to war; and it is only after the famous intervention of the Sabine women that the nations agreed to become a single kingdom under
2960-467: The exception of old Labicum. But some settlements he mentions were in fact visited by Strabo only seventy years earlier (such as Tellenae ), and some still certainly stood in his own time, such as Pedum . Another oddity of the passage is that while he claims there were fifty-three centres that had disappeared, his list numbers only fifty. Even though elsewhere he mentions two other sites, Apiolae and Amyclae , this still does not equal fifty-three. The list
3040-480: The famous abducting of the Sabine women and suggesting thereby that the abduction was a pretext for alliance with the Sabines . Romulus wished to cement relations with neighboring cities through intermarriage, but none of them found the fledgling city of Rome worthy of their daughters. To overcome this, Romulus arranged a festival in honor of Neptune (the Consualia ) and invited the surrounding cities to attend. At
3120-446: The fifth century and declined only in the fourth century. Ficana was located on the left bank of the Tiber, downstream from Rome, near present-day Acilia on the highland over Monte Cugno. In ancient times, this provided an advantage as it was steeper and a dominant position on the river. Its identification is confirmed by the find of an inscription. The sources state that it was destroyed twice by Ancus Marcius in his drive to control
3200-543: The first nine remain extant while the remaining books only exist as fragments, in the excerpts of the Roman emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus and an epitome discovered by Angelo Mai in a Milan manuscript. Dionysius is the first major historian of early Roman history whose work is now extant. Several other ancient historians who wrote of this period, almost certainly used Dionysius as a source for their material. The works of Appian , Plutarch and Livy all describe similar people and events of Early Rome as Dionysius. In
3280-578: The foothills southwest of the Alban Hills as still standing. The historiographer Livy and the lexicographer Festus also repeatedly mention the old Latin towns. Another tradition related by Philistos of Syracuse calls the Sicels Ligurians, whose king was a Sikelos. This tradition is followed by Stephanus of Byzantium , who cites Hellanicus of Lesbos as his authority. These ancient traditions have led some scholars to look for traces of
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3360-407: The gods at the advice of their grandfather. Using the birds as omens , the two brothers decided "he to whom the more favourable birds first appeared should rule the colony and be its leader." Since Remus saw nine vultures first, he claimed that the gods chose him and Romulus claimed that since he saw a greater (the "more favorable") number of vultures, the gods chose him. Unable to reach a conclusion,
3440-672: The hills of the Riserva Naturale park of Marcigliana Vecchia, to the north of Rome near Settebagni, on the Via Salaria . The town was also known as Castrimoenium and Crustumeria and has given its name to the surrounding countryside and hills known as "Ager Crustuminus" and "Montes Crustumini". According to Servius it was originally a settlement of the Sicels , founded by the Sicel Clitemnestrus. The etymology of
3520-449: The hills, grapes were planted, and wines such as Setinus, Albanus, and Signinus, were of good quality. In the highlands, animal husbandry took the place of food production as an economic force. Gabii had famous quarries of red travertine stone, which was used as building material in the surrounding area, Rome included. Crafts, such as smithing and pottery, were also developed. Diseases like malaria were restricted to coastal areas and
3600-669: The inscription known as Lapis Satricanus was unearthed. The town is mentioned by Livy as the eponymous settlement of the Roman tribe of the same name. Its location has not been identified, with some scholars suggesting that it was located near Tibur or near Passerano. Wolfgang Helbig was the first to remark that the name of Alba Longa and of many other Ligurian settlements, such as Albieis north of Massalia, with their centre Alba Augusta , as well as Albium (Albion) Intemelium (now Ventimiglia ), Albium (Albion) Ingaunum (now Albenga ) and Alba Pompeia in Italy, could hardly mean "white", from
3680-508: The internal ground level. The walls enclose an area of approximately 38 hectares. Remains of two towers, and of several gateways (notably the Porta Maggiore, defended by a tower), exist. The bastion at the Porta Maggiore still stands to 13 m. A square tower, referred to as "La Loggia" is also to be found along the curtain. The main gate is enormous, with jambs over 8 m in height, 4.30 m in width, and internal width of 12.8 m. Within,
3760-459: The joint rule of Romulus and Tatius, both declared Quirites . After the death of Tatius, however, Romulus became more dictatorial, until he met his end, either through actions divine or earthly. One tale tells of a "darkness" that took Romulus from his war camp to his father in heaven. Another source claims that Romulus was killed by his Roman countrymen after releasing hostages, showing favoritism, and excessive cruelty in his punishments. It
3840-543: The latter. Wives could inherit upon their husband's death. A wife's adultery was a serious crime, however, drunkenness could be a mitigating factor in determining the appropriate punishment. Because of Romulus' laws, Dionysius claims that not a single Roman couple divorced over the following five centuries. Romulus' laws governing parental rights, in particular, those that allow fathers to maintain power over their adult children were also considered an improvement over those of others; while Dionysius further approved of how, under
3920-446: The laws of Romulus, native-born free Romans were limited to two forms of employment: farming and the army. All other occupations were filled by slaves or non-Roman labor. Romulus used the trappings of his office to encourage compliance with the law. His court was imposing and filled with loyal soldiers and he was always accompanied by the 12 lictors appointed to be his attendants. Following his institutional account, Dionysus described
4000-416: The laws of other nations before contrasting the approach of Romulus and lauding his work. The Roman law governing marriage is, according to his Antiquities , an elegant yet simple improvement over that of other nations, most of which he harshly derides. By declaring that wives would share equally in the possessions and conduct of their husband, Romulus promoted virtue in the former and deterred mistreatment by
4080-715: The list of Latin peoples who went to war against Rome in 495 BC. Dionysius gives a list of the towns members of the Latin League that voted for war against Rome after the capture of Fidenae by the Romans, under the influence of Aricia and of former king Tarquinius the Proud at an assembly held at Ferentinum: Ardea, Aricia, Bovillae, Bubentum, Cora, Carventum, Circei, Corioli, Corbio, Cabum, Fortinea, Gabii, Laurentum, Lanuvium, Lavinium, Labici, Nomentum, Norba, Praeneste, Pedum, Querquetula, Satricum, Scaptia, Setia, Tibur, Tusculum, Tolerium, Tellenae, Velitrae. As Niebuhr remarked, once again
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#17327723772344160-422: The lower course of the Tiber and the salines, together with Politorium and Tellenae. Its importance was owed to the fact it was a port that afforded a commercial route to the hinterland toward the Alban Hills and Aricia. Archaeologists have shown that it was still a prosperous centre during the 4th century and reached its maximum expansion after the Roman conquest. It declined only in the 4th and 3rd centuries after
4240-410: The name is unclear and may reflect an ancient Pre-Indo European toponymic crustulum , meaning pond. Crustumerium has been and is still being excavated by archaeologists and its study has been important for understanding urban development in Old Latium. It was located on one of the routes that linked Veii and Gabii , close to a ford on the Tiber, which fact, along with the richness of its countryside,
4320-455: The nearby mountain range is still known as "Monti Cornicolani". Near Montecelio, relics dating from the Iron Age and fragments of pottery from the 7th-6th centuries BC have been discovered. The town was destroyed by Tarquinius Priscus and was believed to be the hometown of Servius Tullius 's mother, Ocresia. The site of Crustumerium has been known since the 19th century. It is located in
4400-415: The north of Rome on the left bank of the river Anio and close to its confluence with the Tiber. Its name means "between the rivers" (Antemnae is the Sabine for Latin interamnes ). Some of its ruins were discovered in 1880 during excavations to build the fortress "Forte Antenne". Later excavations yielded additional material. The location is now within the urban area of Rome. Antemnae was colonised by Rome at
4480-621: The old Roman settlement. It was originally a settlement of the Sicels, as was Antemnae, who were later expelled by the Aborigenes. Dionysius records a tradition according to which Romulus was at Caenina for a sacrifice during the festival of the Lupercalia , which was the occasion of the abduction of Remus by Numitor's shepherds. The town underwent synoecism and some of its cults and priests ( sacerdotes ) were transferred to Rome by Romulus, who celebrated his first triumph after conquering
4560-434: The older Greeks. According to him, history is philosophy teaching by examples, and this idea he has carried out from the point of view of a Greek rhetorician. But he carefully consulted the best authorities, and his work and that of Livy are the only connected and detailed extant accounts of early Roman history. Dionysius was also the author of several rhetorical treatises, in which he shows that he had thoroughly studied
4640-538: The ones found in the Ligurian cave of the " Arene Candide ". Sergi concluded that Ligures and Siceli were in fact just one ethnic group , but since they lived far apart, they had come to be considered as two distinct nations. Their identity could be confirmed by ancient toponyms found in Latium as well as other regions of Italy. Strabon also mentions that a former name for the Alps was Albia. Other correspondences include
4720-409: The populace. He assembled the people and gave them the choice as to what type of government they wanted - monarchy, democracy, or oligarchy - for its constitution. After his address, which extolled bravery in war abroad and moderation at home, and in which Romulus denied any need to remain in power, the people decided to remain a kingdom and asked him to remain its king. Before accepting he looked for
4800-454: The preamble to Book I, Dionysius states that the Greek people lack basic information on Roman history, a deficiency he hopes to fix with the present work. Because his prime objective was to reconcile the Greeks to Roman rule, Dionysius focused on the good qualities of their conquerors, and also argued that – based on sources ancient in his own time – the Romans were genuine descendants of
4880-421: The presence of these peoples in later populations. Even though erudite scholars have been trying to ascertain the location of the ancient towns of Latium for at least the last four centuries (see Cluvier), and despite the recent progress made by archaeology in the field of the human settlement of ancient Latium, only a few towns of archaic Latium cited by ancient sources have been identified with certainty, whereas
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#17327723772344960-409: The region of Mons Albanus (now Monte Cavo) and its immediate surroundings, the Alban Hills. Only some of them seem to have reached the urban stage and the list reflects the typical archaic Bronze Age organization of human settlement: sparse, polycentric and gravitating around a religious centre, in this case the sanctuary of Iuppiter Latiaris . The exact location of these settlements is unknown with
5040-450: The remains of several buildings, including the foundations (podia) of two temples, one dedicated to Juno Lucina, have been examined. At the foot of the cliff are the picturesque ruins of the medieval town of Ninfa , (12th-13th centuries) abandoned on account of malaria. The remains of a primitive settlement, on the other hand, have been discovered on the mountainside to the southeast, above the 13th-century abbey of Valvisciolo , where there
5120-466: The site has not yet been identified with certainty, but it was located near modern Lunghezza , to the east of Rome. Likely it stood on the hill now occupied by the Castello di Lunghezza ; which lies at the terminus of the ancient Via Collatina . The town was conquered and colonized by the Romans. Livy preserves the formula of their surrender, often cited as example of the deditio in fidem . Collatia
5200-581: The site of one of the temples of Bona Dea . It was deserted by the original dwellers and later resettled by the Romans, who turned it into a military fort. The site of the Alban people Bolani is frequently mentioned by the historians Dionysius of Halicarnassus and Livy. It was occupied by the Aequians probably already in the late 6th century or in the wars led by Coriolanus . Its site is not known with certainty, but it must have stood not far from Praeneste and Labicum. The site of this settlement must have stood on
5280-512: The site of the ficus Ruminalis ; and rescued by a she-wolf who nurses them in front of her lair (the Lupercal ) before being adopted by Faustulus . Dionysius relates an alternate, "non-fantastical" version of Romulus and Remus' birth, survival and youth. In this version, Numitor managed to switch the twins at birth with two other infants. The twins were delivered by their grandfather to Faustulus to be fostered by him and his wife, Laurentia,
5360-419: The south-west side of the Alban Hills near Genzano and Lanuvium. The most important of the Latin towns developed from the ancient populi albenses , Pedum stood between Tibur and Praeneste near modern Gallicano nel Lazio . It was taken by the Romans with Coriolanus. After the final demise of the Latin League, the town declined. This settlement of the Alban people was probably not far from Pedum, according to
5440-519: The time of Romolus during the first effort to control the left bank of the Tiber up to the Anio, thus ensuring a communication route with Etruria along the Via Salaria. The Antemnates and the Caeninenses were granted full Roman citizenship. Nevertheless, the town revolted several times, the last time in 507 BC. Destroyed by Tarquinius Priscus , the remains have been identified and excavated. The town
5520-431: The time of writing had disappeared. Other important literary sources include Livy , Strabo , Festus , and Servius Danielis . According to these sources Latium was first settled long ago by Sicels and Ligures , but many sources contradict or do not state which of the two groups first settled Latium. According to the literary tradition, the Sicels and Ligures were forced out of Latium by the constant pressure exerted by
5600-472: The total yields the sacred number of thirty, but the sum is made up of different components. It is a mix of some of the members of the populi Albenses and some of the clara oppida . In fact, many of the oppida had been destroyed or resettled by the Romans during the regal period, namely Caenina, Politorium, Ficana, Cameria, Medullium, Corniculum, Collatia. Among the clara oppida of Pliny's list, Satricum, Norba, Sulmo, Scaptia, Tellenae show up here, and among
5680-435: The two brothers and their followers fought, ultimately resulting in the death of Remus. After his brother's death, a saddened Romulus buried Remus at the site of Remoria, giving the location its namesake. Before the actual construction of the city began, Romulus made sacrifices and received good omens, and he then ordered the populace to ritually atone for their guilt. The city's fortifications were first and then housing for
5760-526: Was atticistic – imitating Classical Attic Greek in its prime. He is known for his work Rhōmaikē Archaiologia (Roman Antiquities), which describes the history of Rome from its beginnings until the outbreak of the First Punic War in 264 BCE. Out of twenty books, only the first nine have survived. Dionysius' opinion of the necessity of a promotion of paideia within education, from true knowledge of classical sources , endured for centuries in
5840-531: Was a slave from Caenina captured in war. The town name may be related to Latin caenum (mud, lime), itself a word with no Indoeuropean etymology. Another possibility is that it was of Celtic (Ligurian) origin. Since Romulus made this town into a Roman colony, it fought many wars against Rome. In 502 BC it was destroyed, and its ruins have not yet been found; it was located to the north-east of Rome. Strabo places Collatia some 30 stades from Rome. Though by his time it had been reduced to farmland. The location of
5920-406: Was commonly supposed that he was the ancestor of Aelius Dionysius of Halicarnassus . His major work, entitled Roman Antiquities ( ‹See Tfd› Greek : Ῥωμαϊκὴ Ἀρχαιολογία , Rhōmaikē Archaiologia ), frequently abbreviated Ant. Rom. ( Latin : Antiquitates Romanae ), narrates the history of Rome from the mythical period to the beginning of the First Punic War in twenty books, of which
6000-787: Was conquered by Tullus Hostilius, although not destroyed. Its name suggests a relationship to the Ligurian tribe of the Medulli (Medylloi in Strabon IV 1, 11) and would appear to be cognate with the Celtic deity Meduna. Strabo mentions two other towns named Medullia, one on the western alps in Gallia and one on the eastern alps in Iapudia. Politorium has been identified in the archaic settlement found near Castel di Decima , south-east of Rome, but this identification lacks epigraphic confirmation. It
6080-501: Was divided into 10 Curia , and each of those into smaller units. He divided the kingdom's land holdings between them, and Dionysus alone among our authorities insists that this was done in equal lots. The Patrician class was separated from the Plebeian class; while each curiae was responsible for providing soldiers in the event of war. A system of patronage ( clientela ), a senate (attributed by Dionysius to Greek influence) and
6160-472: Was founded by the Latin king Silvius of Alba Longa and it was the hometown of Lucius Tarquinius Collatinus , one of the first two consuls of the Roman Republic. The town has been located by modern scholars in the present position of Montecelio (formerly Monticelli) in the comune of Guidonia , not far from Tibur . The two adjacent hills shaped like a pair of horns were the source of its name, and
6240-475: Was located on Monte Savello between Albano and Pavona . It housed a temple of Apollo and the famous spring of Juturna , with nearby Lake Turni being the object of a local cult. Today the two water sources are known as the spring of Secciano and the Laghetto di Pavona. The site of the settlement of the Alban people Aesulani has been identified with the hilltop castrum of Aefulae near ancient Tibur and close to
6320-508: Was relied on in the later publications of Plutarch , for example. He writes extensively on the myth, sometimes attributing direct quotations to its figures. The myth spans the first 2 volumes of his Roman Antiquities , beginning with Book I chapter 73 and concluding in Book II chapter 56. Dionysius claims that the twins, Romulus and Remus, were born to a vestal named Ilia Silvia (sometimes called Rea), descended from Aeneas of Troy and
6400-399: Was the cause of its importance and wealth. The town stretched along a road trench and occupied an area of 60 hectares. It had walls that were a complex made by four or five parallel stretches connected by normal ones and covered with stone slabs. Tombs contained a rich production of fine pottery painted in white and red, weapons, and other instruments from the early Iron Age onward. The town
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