ROME HISTORY – Aeneas

Aeneas

About three thousand years ago, ships, that had been sailing for a long time searching a landing place, sighted a land. The men on those ships were the only survivors of a terrible fire that after a long war had destroyed their town.

They were sad and tired, they had been wondering for years longing for rest and peace….. and here now a welcoming land was in front of them.

They landed at a place where a river flowed into the sea blending its tumultuous yellow waters with the blue waves. So they were enthusiastic when their leader ordered them to land.

The men who finally touched land were Trojans. They had landed in Lazio on the banks of the river Tiber led by the brave hero Aeneas.

While Troy was falling under the Greek assault, he saved his father and his little son. Unfortunately his father died during the voyage.

The life and deeds of Aeneas are wonderfully told in the Aeneid, written by the great poet Virgil, here we record the most important episodes essential to the study of Roman history.

In those times, Lazio was already peopled by several tribes: Etruscans, Volscians, Sabines, Rutuli and Ausones.

The Latins were the most important population settled in a group of organised cities along the Tiber banks.

The Trojans got soon in touch with these people and with their King, the wise Latin. He warmly welcomed them, gave them hospitality and some time later he gave his daughter Lavinia to Aeneas as his wife. She had been previously bethroted to Turno, the king of Rutuli who declared war on Latin for the offense.

It was a terrible war that ended with a duel between Aeneas and Turno. The latter died. A long period of peace followed, during which Aeneas founded aTown, Lavinium, to honour his wife. His son Ascanio founded another town called Albalonga.

Many years after the death of Ascanio, the good Numitore became king. But he had a very evil and envious brother, called Amulio who wanted to rule. For this reason he imprisoned Numitore and forced his daughter Rea Silvia to become a priest.

Amulio felt safe and secure. He had ruled for a long period when some time later the god Mars sent two twins to Rea Silvia, Romulus and Remus. Amulio ordered that they be killed immedately. But he was destined to be punished.

The servant ordered to commit the cruel act, had not the heart to commit such a murder. Instead he put the two little brothers in a wicker basket and abandoned them on the Tiber waters, with the hope that someone could save them.

And they were saved.