Lupa Romana Mother of Rome

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According to legend, Romulus and Remus were twins born of the god Jupiter and a vestal virgin princess, Rhea Silvia. Rhea Silvia was the daughter of King Numitor. Numitor's brother, Amulius, took the throne from him. When Princess Rhea gave birth to the boys, Amulius ordered them to be killed but their mother put them into a basket and set them into the River Tiber, in hopes that they would survive. The boys were rescued by a she-wolf who cared for them. Shortly after, the she-wolf began to care for them a shepherd named, Faustulus, found them and took them home to raise as his own children. Eventually the young brothers discovered who they really were and decided to kill Amulius in order to put their grandfather back on the throne. After doing this they decided that they, too, wanted to be kings. They decided to build a city of their own but could not agree on where to build it. Since they could not reach an agreement, each began to build his own city enclosed with walls. Remus visited his brother, Romulus, one day and insulted him by jumping over Romulus's wall. The enraged Romulus murdered his brother and became the first King of Rome. This is the story of the birth of Rome. The she-wolf has become Rome's symbol "because she is credited with saving the lives of Romulus and Remus, founders of Rome" ("Art Inventories Catalog Smithsonian American Art Museum Smithsonian Institution Research Information System "). With a mythological story setting its background, the sculpture, Capitoline Wolf, is not only filled with historical importance but also has an intriguing mystery following it.

The sculpture, Capitoline Wolf with Romulus and Remus, depicts a female wolf with twin infant boys suckling from her. The bronze sculpture depict...

... middle of paper ...

...an Institution, 2011. Web. 14 Nov 2011. < http://sirisartinventories.si.edu/ipac20/ipac.jsp?uri=full=3100 001~!298851!0>

"Hall of the She-wolf." museicapitolini.org. Musei Capitolini, 2006. Web. 20 Nov 2011. .

Hull, Robert, comp. Roman Stories. 1. New York City: Thomas Learning, 1993. 6-12. Print.

Squires, Nick. "Romulus and Remus Symbol of Rome Could Be Medieval Replica." Telegraph [Rome] 11 23 2011, n. pag. Web. 29 Nov. 2011..

Van Osnabrugge, Willem. "She-Wolf and Romulus and Remus." Virtual Library on The Ringling Museum. RinglingDocets.org, n.d. Web. 29 Nov 2011. .

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