Mary Beard — Romulus and Remus

In one sentence

The story of Romulus and Remus is less a historical record of a single founding and more a complex, evolving myth used by Romans to explain their unique identity as a "double community" of migrants, refugees, and outsiders.

Why read this (and who it's for)

This summary is for anyone interested in how nations and cultures construct their "origin stories." It explains how a myth can be both a source of national pride and a reflection of internal social tensions. You will be able to understand why the Romans viewed themselves as "foreign" to their own soil and how they used the concept of the "asylum" to define their civic identity.

The big idea

The myth of Romulus and Remus—the twins abandoned, saved by a she-wolf, and eventually divided by a fatal fratricide—is the cornerstone of Roman identity. However, the "truth" of the story is less important than its function. The experts argue that the myth reflects the actual political reality of early Rome: a city that grew not by being "autotoxygenous" (growing from its own soil like Athens or Sparta), but by absorbing outsiders.

The story serves as a cultural container for the Roman experience of "double-ness"—the dual-kingship, the dual-consuls, and the dual-citizenship of the freed slaves. By framing their origin in a story of abandonment and rescue, Rome established a precedent where the city was always open to the "riff-raff," the criminal, and the refugee, provided they could contribute to the community.

Key ideas

The Myth of the "Exposed" Infant

• What it is — A recurring mythological trope where a child is abandoned (often due to a "portentous" dream or an unwanted pregnancy) but survives through divine intervention or animal rescue.
• Why it matters — It provides a mechanism for a legendary hero to "come from nowhere" and become a significant figure, explaining how a leader can emerge without a traditional lineage.
• In the book — Peter Wiseman notes that this is a structural necessity in tragedy (like the story of Oedipus) to explain how a protagonist's identity is revealed.

The "Double Community" and the Twin Foundation

• What it is — The idea that Rome was founded as a "double" entity, represented by the twin brothers Romulus and Remus.
• Why it matters — It explains the Roman political structure of having two consuls and a "double community" of patricians and plebeians.
• In the book — Tim Cornell argues that the twin myth was a way to explain the historic compromise between social classes in the 4th century BC.

The Asylum of the Capitoline Hill

• What it is — The portion of the myth where Romulus creates a space for "anyone" to come—including criminals, runaways, and political exiles.
• Why it matters — It defines Rome as a city of migrants. Unlike other Greek cities, Rome saw itself as a place where outsiders could become citizens.
• In the book — Mary Beard highlights that this is the most "extraordinary" and "powerful" political myth: Rome as a city that is "always foreign to itself."

The Fratricide as a Cultural Curse

• What it is — The violent death of Remus at the hands of Romulus (or his henchmen) during the construction of the city walls.
• Why it matters — It explains the recurring civil wars and internal strife that plagued Roman history.
• In the book — Mary Beard notes that by the 1st century BC, Romans looked at the "sacred blood" of the fratricide as a reason for their internal political instability.

The "Rape" of the Sabine Women

• What it is — The story of Romulus seizing women from neighboring tribes to ensure the survival of the new Roman community.
• Why it matters — It serves as the "origin story of Roman marriage" and reflects the role of women as peacemakers between warring factions.
• In the book — The women are described as intervening to stop the fighting because they were the mothers and wives of the men on both sides.

Frameworks & tools

The "Foreign" Identity Framework

To understand how a community defines itself, look at its "origin" story. Rome used a Migrant Model:

1. Identify the Outsider: Acknowledge that the community's roots are not "from the soil."
2. The Asylum Principle: Create a space where the "other" is welcomed (the Capitoline Hill).
3. The Incorporation Process: Establish a clear path for the outsider to become an insider (the transition from slave/refugee to citizen).

Memorable examples & stories

The She-Wolf vs. The Lupa

• The Story: To avoid the "beastly" reputation of a wolf, some Roman writers claimed the children were actually suckled by a lupa (a female prostitute).
• The Lesson: Romans were often "embarrassed" by their own myths and would rationalize them to fit their current social sensibilities.

The 12 Vultures vs. 6 Vultures

• The Story: Romulus and Remus looked for signs from the gods; Remus saw six vultures, but Romulus claimed to see twelve.
• The Lesson: The "signs" were often a pretext for the winner to seize power and name the city after himself.

The Wall-Builder's Shovel

• The Story: In some versions, Romulus doesn't kill Remus; a sidekick named Celer hits Remus with a shovel for jumping over the wall.
• The Lesson: This version turns a "horrific fratricide" into a "patriotic tale" of defending the city's borders.

Key quotes

"Rome is a city that is always foreign to itself." (Mary Beard) Why it matters: It explains why Rome was so unique in its ability to absorb and incorporate outsiders.

"The Romans were always extremely embarrassed, actually, by their own origin myth." (Mary Beard) Why it matters: It shows that myth is a living, breathing thing that must be constantly re-interpreted to remain socially acceptable.

"The story of the asylum... is the most important thing... Rome is a community that is open to outsiders." (Tim Cornell) Why it matters: It identifies the core political identity of the Roman state.

How to apply it

This week

• Identify your "Asylum": Look at your workplace or community. Is there a "Capitoline Hill"—a space where outsiders are welcomed and given a path to contribution?
• Analyze your "Origin": Think of a group you belong to. Does it have a "founding myth"? Is it a story of "growing from the soil" or a story of "migrants" and outsiders?

Ongoing

• The Migrant Principle: When evaluating a new organization, ask: "How does this community incorporate the 'other'?"
• The Interpretation Rule: Recognize that "myth" is a conversation. When people tell stories about their history, they aren't just reciting facts; they are explaining who they are now.

Common pitfalls

• The "Historical Fact" Trap: Do not assume the story of Romulus and Remus is a literal history. The experts agree that the "facts" of the story (the dates, the specific acts) are often debated or even contradictory.
• The "Static Myth" Fallacy: Do not think the story stayed the same. The meaning of the myth changed from the 4th century BC (where twins mattered) to the 1st century BC (where fratricide and civil war mattered).

Connects to

• The Iliad/Odyssey: For comparisons of how Greek "autotoxygenous" identity differs from Roman "migrant" identity.
• The Brothers Grimm: For understanding how "folk tales" are collected and preserved as cultural identity.

If you remember only three things

• Rome's identity is built on being a city of migrants and refugees, not a city of "native" inhabitants.
• The Asylum of the Capitoline Hill is the symbolic heart of Roman inclusivity, allowing the "riff-raff" to become citizens.
• The Fratricide of Remus serves as a permanent cultural explanation for the internal civil wars and "double-community" tensions of Roman politics.

Internalize it

• Reflection questions

  • If my community was founded on a "migrant" myth, what would that say about our current values?
  • How does the "double-community" (patrician/plebeian) in Rome mirror the tensions in modern political systems?
  • Why do we feel the need to "apologize" for or "rationalize" the darker parts of our cultural myths?

• Flashcards Q: What is the "Asylum" in the Romulus and Remus myth? A: A space on the Capitoline Hill where anyone—criminals, runaways, and exiles—could seek refuge and become part of the community.

Q: How did Romans view their own origin compared to the Greeks? A: Romans saw themselves as "foreign" and "migrant," whereas Greeks (like Athenians) saw themselves as "autotoxygenous" (growing from the soil).

Q: What does the "double community" refer to in the context of Rome? A: The historical compromise between the patricians and plebeians, which influenced the twin-founder myth and the system of two consuls.

Q: Why is the "fratricide" significant in Roman political thought? A: It was used to explain the "curse" of civil war and the tendency of the Roman state to tear itself apart.

Q: What is the "Lupa" rationalization? A: The claim that the twins were suckled by a prostitute rather than a wolf to make the myth more socially acceptable.

Fidelity note

This summary is grounded in the transcript of the "In Our Time" episode. I am certain of the historical interpretations provided by Mary Beard, Peter Wiseman, and Tim Cornell regarding the "migrant" identity of Rome and the "double community" theory. The distinction between the "lived" myth and the "literary" versions of the story is a central theme of the discussion. The specific dates (e.g., 296 BC) and the 19th-century historian Momson are included as they were explicitly mentioned by the experts.