The Romans have had almost every type of government there is.
They’ve had akingdom, a republic, a dictatorship, and an empire. Their democracy would be the basisfor most modern democracies. The people have always been involved with and loved theirgovernment, no matter what kind it was. They loved being involved in the government,and making decisions concerning everyone. In general, the Romans were verypower-hungry.
This might be explained by the myth that they aredescended fromRomulus, who’s father was Mars, the god of war. Their government loving tendencieshave caused many, many civil wars. After any type of government, the change has beenmade with a civil war. There have also been many civil wars between rulers. But it all boilsdown to wanting to be involved in government.
When the Greeks finally entered Troyafter ten long years of siege, a man named Aeneas escaped the city with his father,Anchises, and his son, Ascanius. They went to Mt. Ida, where they were to meet Aeneas’wife, Creusa, but she never showed up. Saddened, Aeneas acquired a boat and sailedaround the Mediterranean. He bounced around from Asia Minor to Greece to Cretelooking for a place to found a new Troy, but he couldn’t find a satisfactory place. As toldby Homer in the Aeneid, Aeneas was cared for by the gods.
Venus, in particular, was veryworried about him. She asked Jupiter, king of the gods abouthim, and he said this: “Sinceyou are so consumed with anxiety for Aeneas, I shall turn forward far The hidden pages offate and speak of the future. He shall conduct a great campaign for you And conquer allItaly and its haughty peoples. He shall impose laws on his own people And build walledcities for them; the third summer Shall see him rule in Latium, the third winter Of warfaresee the Rutulians an Italian tribe subdued. But his son Ascanius.
. . It is he who shallconsolidate your power- For thirty years with all their turning months; Then shall he movehis capital from Lavinium To Alba Longa, which he shall fortify To the uttermost; andthere a line of kings. .
. Shall reign and reign till Ilia Rhea Silvia, a priestess Of royalblood, bear twins begotten by Mars; And one of these, Romulus, fostered by a she-wolf,And joyfully wearing her tawny hide, shall rule And found a city for Mars, a new city, Andcall his people Romans, after his name. For them I see no measure nor date, I grant themDominion without end. Yes, even Juno.
. . Even she will mend her ways and vie with me Incherishing the Romans, the master-race, The wearers of the Toga. So it is willed. “(Nardo13) Finally, he wound up at the mouth of the Tiber River in Italy.
He went inland up theriver, which was a miracle in itself, because the river is very swift. He found Latium, ruledby King Latinus, and married his daughter, Lavinia. With King Latinus’ permission,Aeneas and Lavinia founded a city called Lavinium, where they ruled side by side for manyyears. When Aeneas died, his son Ascanius took over.
Ascanius founded a new city, whichhe called Alba Longa, and made it his capital. Now we advance four centuries. The king ofAlba Longa is Numitor. He had a jealous brother named Amulius, who seized the throneand drove out Numitor.
To prevent Numitor’s daughter, Rhea Silvia, from having childrenwho could claim the throne, Amulius made her a celibate priestess. While she was apriestess, Mars, the god of war, came and visited her and she had twin boys named Remusand Romulus (Burrell 7). When Amulius found out about the twins, he was furious. Heordered Rhea imprisoned and the boys drowned on the Tiber.
The slave who was orderedto drown them felt pity for them, and instead sent them down the river in a basket. Whenthey landed, a she-wolf found them and nursed them because her cubs had just been killedand she was still fertile. Romulus and Remus were found by a shepherd named Faustulus,who took them home to his wife to raise them. As they grew up, being sons of Mars, theyturned out to be very athletic and natural leaders, especially of the local boys. When theboys grew up, they heard the story of Numitor and Amulius.
With their local friends,
