Romulus's Path to the Monarchy: How an Upbringing in the Wilderness Shaped...

The legend of Romulus and Remus as one of Rome’s foundation stories is familiar to all Classicists.  The Romans used this story as evidence of their royal ancestry and justification of their destiny to rule.  While the exemplary qualities that Romulus displays once he has achieved the kingship have been discussed by ancient and modern scholars alike, the question remains how the Romans made sense of his unconventional upbringing, which is at odds with that typical of a Roman leader.   My inquiry intends to discover how the Romans reconciled the “uncultured” early years of Romulus’s life with the dignified status that was later accorded to him and to his actions as king, which contributed significantly to future Roman society.