21 April 753 BC: Legendary Founding of Rome
According to ancient Roman tradition, April 21, 753 BC marks the legendary founding of Rome by Romulus and his twin brother Remus. This date, celebrated as the Dies Romana or birthday of Rome, represents one of the most enduring foundation myths in Western civilization and established the beginning of one of histories most influential empires.
The legend tells of twin brothers born to the Vestal Virgin Rhea Silvia and the god Mars. Their great-uncle Amulius, who had usurped the throne from their grandfather Numitor, ordered the infants to be drowned in the Tiber River. However, the basket carrying the twins washed ashore at the base of the Palatine Hill, where a she-wolf discovered and nursed them. A shepherd named Faustulus later found the boys and raised them as his own.
When they grew to adulthood, Romulus and Remus learned of their true heritage and overthrew Amulius, restoring their grandfather to the throne. The brothers then decided to found a new city near the spot where they had been saved. However, a dispute arose over which hill should serve as the citys center and who should rule as king. According to the most common version of the tale, Romulus killed Remus during this quarrel, becoming the sole founder and first king of Rome.
Romulus established many of the political, religious, and social institutions that would define Roman society for centuries. He divided the population into patricians and plebeians, created the Senate as an advisory body, and established the system of patron-client relationships that would become fundamental to Roman social structure. The city he founded on the Palatine Hill would grow to become the center of an empire spanning three continents.
The anniversary of Romes founding was celebrated throughout antiquity with games, sacrifices, and public festivities. The Romans used this date to calculate their calendar years, measuring time from the founding of the city, expressed as AUC (ab urbe condita, meaning from the founding of the city). This practice continued for centuries and reflected the profound importance Romans placed on their citys origins.
While modern historians recognize the founding date as legendary rather than historical, archaeological evidence suggests that settlements did exist on the site of Rome by the eighth century BC. The enduring power of the Romulus and Remus legend speaks to humanitys need for origin stories that explain how great civilizations came to be, transforming historical processes into memorable narratives of destiny and divine favor.
