ancient Roman history

Statue of a wolf standing on a platform in a blue pond, surrounded by greenery, symbolizing Romulus and Remus

The Founding of Rome by Romulus and Remus Explained

Orin Vale

The founding of Rome by Romulus and Remus is the enduring Roman foundation myth, blending divine lineage, royal conflict, abandonment, survival, and brotherly rivalry into a story that explained the city’s sacred origins. Though not verifiable history, it shaped Roman identity and continues to illuminate how legends can serve politics, memory, and cultural authority.

Close-up of a classical marble statue of Aesculapius, a bearded man with muscular arms

Serpent of Aesculapius Arrival in Rome: History and Legend

Orin Vale

The Serpent of Aesculapiuss Arrival in Rome recounts how, amid a plague in 293 BCE, Roman leaders consulted divine texts and sent envoys to Epidaurus to obtain the healing god Aesculapius. When a sacred serpent reportedly returned with them and disembarked on the Tiber Island, the episode helped establish a lasting cult, linking Greek religion, public health, and Rome’s sacred landscape.

Ancient marble statue of Bellona, Roman goddess of war, with a cherub in classical style

Bellona: Roman Goddess of War and Mythology

Orin Vale

Bellona is the ancient Roman goddess of war, associated with battle, military fury, and the violent force that accompanied conquest in Roman religion and politics. Her name, linked to *bellum*, reflects a complex history of Italic tradition, cult practice, and later symbolism that reveals how Romans understood war itself.