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PRE-QUIZ Who were the legendary founders of Rome? What type of government did Rome have? Name three leaders from the ancient civilization of Rome Name the country where Rome is found along with three other areas that were in the Roman Empire. Name at least two innovations the Romans had.

-Helped explain the world (just like some other group we know!) -Greeks used gods and heroes -We use……? -What are some examples of legend in our society? -How can you tell the difference between legend and fact?

On the ruins of Troy the Gods decided to save one hero, Aeneas. After a long journey he ended up in Latium, the region of present-day Rome. There Aeneas settled down and founded the town of Lavinium. After Aeneas Julus ruled Lavinium. Very soon the town wasn't big enough for all the people and therefore he founded a new town, called 'Alba Longa' - 'the long white town'. Alba Longa was situated near the later city of Rome. SAVE ME! OK

Almost three hundred years later, Procas, king of Alba Longa, left behind two sons after his death. Numitor, the elder son, was the heir apparent to the throne. The younger son was called Amulius. Amulius wanted to be king and with the money from his father's inheritance he recruited followers and chased king Numitor, his brother.

Amulius, for his part, was afraid he would also be dethroned by the sons of his brother Numitor. That's why he had Numitor's children killed and his daughter Silvia taken to a temple, consecrated to Vesta. But the god Mars, indignant about the cruelty of Amulius, felt sorry for her and gave her a pair of twins. When the king heard this, he was furious and afraid of his kingship. He had Silvia imprisoned and he gave orders to throw the twins into the Tiber. Because the river had flooded the basket with the two children floated to a shallow pool and got stuck on the roots of a fig tree.

A she-wolf, curious about the crying of the children, felt pity on the crying kids, and started licking the mud off the poor boys. Then she kept looking after them.

The shepherd Faustulus found the twins. He took them with him to his house and his wife called them Romulus and Remus. They were not aware of the princely origin of the boys and raised them as their children. Through a series of divine signs Romulus and Remus found out who they were. They took the power and decided to found a town at a hill near the fig tree. They didn't agree about the exact place where the town had to be founded. Remus chose the Aventine. Romulus chose the Palatine.

They asked Numitor for advice and on his advice they waited for divine signs at their hills. Remus first saw six vultures. Romulus, however, later saw twelve vultures. The question wasn't any longer where the town had to be founded, but by whom? The princes consulted their followers and they declared that Romulus was their king. Romulus immediately began with the preparations for the building of his city. On 21 April 753 BC - a holiday for the shepherds - the first stone was laid. The town was enclosed by a solid wall. During the construction Romulus forbade everyone to jump over the wall. Only the gates could be used for getting in and out. Remus, however, furious because he hadn't been chosen as their king, jumped over the wall, crying: 'Is this wall meant to protect the town?' Then Romulus was so furious, that he killed his brother with a pickaxe. Eventually he gave the town his own name. What a puny wall. Watch this everybody! Oh no you don’t!

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