Founding of Rome

Archaeological evidence indicates that [[Rome]] developed from the gradual union of several [[hillfort|hilltop villages]] during the [[Prehistoric Italy#Bronze Age|Final Bronze Age]] or early [[Iron Age Europe#Italy|Iron Age]]. [[Prehistoric Italy|Prehistoric habitation]] of the [[Italian Peninsula]] occurred by 48,000 [[Before Present|years ago]], with the area of Rome being settled by around 1600 BC.{{sfn|Momigliano|1989|p=53}} Some evidence on the [[Capitoline Hill]] possibly dates as early as {{circa|1700 BC}}{{sfn|Lomas|2018|p=38}} and the nearby valley that later housed the [[Roman Forum]] had a developed [[necropolis]] by at least 1000{{nbsp}}BC.{{sfn|Cornell|1995|p=48}} The combination of the hilltop settlements into a single polity by the later 8th century{{nbsp}}BC was probably influenced by the trend for [[city-state]] formation emerging from [[ancient Greece]].

Archaeological evidence indicates that [[Rome]] developed from the gradual union of several [[hillfort|hilltop villages]] during the [[Prehistoric Italy#Bronze Age|Final Bronze Age]] or early [[Iron Age Europe#Italy|Iron Age]]. [[Prehistoric Italy|Prehistoric habitation]] of the [[Italian Peninsula]] occurred by 48,000 [[Before Present|years ago]], with the area of Rome being settled by around 1600 BC.{{sfn|Momigliano|1989|p=53}} Some evidence on the [[Capitoline Hill]] possibly dates as early as {{circa|1700 BC}}{{sfn|Lomas|2018|p=38}} and the nearby valley that later housed the [[Roman Forum]] had a developed [[necropolis]] by at least 1000{{nbsp}}BC.{{sfn|Cornell|1995|p=48}} The combination of the hilltop settlements into a single polity by the later 8th century{{nbsp}}BC was probably influenced by the trend for [[city-state]] formation emerging from [[ancient Greece]].

[[Roman mythology|Roman myth]] held that their city was founded by [[Romulus]], son of the [[war god]] [[Mars (mythology)|Mars]] and the [[Vestal virgin]] [[Rhea Silvia]], fallen princess of [[Alba Longa]] and descendant of [[Aeneas|Aeneas of Troy]]. [[infant exposure|Exposed]] on the [[Tiber River|Tiber]] river, Romulus and his twin [[Remus]] were [[Human–animal breastfeeding|suckled]] by a [[she-wolf (Roman mythology)|she-wolf]] at the [[Lupercal]] before being raised by the shepherd [[Faustulus]], taking revenge on their usurping great-uncle [[Amulius]], and restoring Alba Longa to their grandfather [[Numitor]]. The brothers then decided to establish a new town but quarrelled over some details, ending with Remus's murder and the establishment of Rome on the [[Palatine Hill]]. The year of the supposed founding was variously computed by ancient historians, but the two dates seeming to be officially sanctioned were the [[Varronian chronology]]'s 753 BC (used by [[Claudius]]'s [[Secular Games]] and [[Hadrian]]'s [[Romaea]]) and the adjacent year of 752 BC (used by the [[Fasti Capitolini|Fasti]] and the Secular Games of [[Antoninus Pius]] and [[Philip the Arab|Philip I]]). Despite known errors in [[Varro]]'s calculations, it is the 753{{nbsp}}BC date that continues to form the basis for most modern calculations of the [[Ab urbe condita|AUC]] [[calendar era]].

[[Roman myth]] held that their city was founded by [[Romulus]], son of the [[war god]] [[Mars (mythology)|Mars]] and the [[Vestal virgin]] [[Rhea Silvia]], fallen princess of [[Alba Longa]] and descendant of [[Aeneas|Aeneas of Troy]]. [[infant exposure|Exposed]] on the [[Tiber River|Tiber]] river, Romulus and his twin [[Remus]] were [[Human–animal breastfeeding|suckled]] by a [[she-wolf (Roman mythology)|she-wolf]] at the [[Lupercal]] before being raised by the shepherd [[Faustulus]], taking revenge on their usurping great-uncle [[Amulius]], and restoring Alba Longa to their grandfather [[Numitor]]. The brothers then decided to establish a new town but quarrelled over some details, ending with Remus's murder and the establishment of Rome on the [[Palatine Hill]]. The year of the supposed founding was variously computed by ancient historians, but the two dates seeming to be officially sanctioned were the [[Varronian chronology]]'s 753 BC (used by [[Claudius]]'s [[Secular Games]] and [[Hadrian]]'s [[Romaea]]) and the adjacent year of 752 BC (used by the [[Fasti Capitolini|Fasti]] and the Secular Games of [[Antoninus Pius]] and [[Philip the Arab]]). Despite known errors in [[Varro]]'s calculations, it is the 753{{nbsp}}BC date that continues to form the basis for most modern calculations of the [[Ab urbe condita|AUC]] [[calendar era]].

The legendary account was still much discussed and celebrated in Roman times. The [[Parilia Festival]] on 21 April was considered to commemorate the [[Natale di Roma|anniversary of the city's founding]] during the [[late Republic]] and that aspect of the holiday grew in importance under the [[Roman Empire|Empire]] until it was fully transformed into the Romaea in AD{{nbsp}}121. Most modern historians dismiss these ancient accounts of a single founder descended from a Trojan lineage establishing the city at specific point in time as fiction.

The legendary account was still much discussed and celebrated in Roman times. The [[Parilia Festival]] on 21 April was considered to commemorate the [[Natale di Roma|anniversary of the city's founding]] during the [[late Republic]] and that aspect of the holiday grew in importance under the [[Roman Empire|Empire]] until it was fully transformed into the Romaea in AD{{nbsp}}121. Most modern historians dismiss these ancient accounts of a single founder descended from a Trojan lineage establishing the city at specific point in time as fiction.