A relief from a pedestal dating to the reign of Trajan between AD 98 and 117 shows Romulus and Remus alongside Father Tiber. This artifact anchors our understanding of how Roman mythology drew from Italic peoples while sharing mythemes with Proto-Indo-European traditions. The Romans treated their traditional narratives as historical even when these stories contained miraculous or supernatural elements. These tales often focused on politics, morality, and an individual's personal integrity regarding responsibility to the community. Heroism emerged as a central theme within these early narratives that illuminated religious practices through ritual rather than theology. Greek influence began shaping Roman thought during the Hellenistic period and continued through the conquest of Greece itself. Roman authors imitated Greek literary models to reinterpret myths about deities under their own names. This synthesis created Classical mythology which disseminated throughout Europe via Latin literature during the Middle Ages and Renaissance.
Founding Narratives
The Aeneid by Virgil and Livy's early history stand as the best extant sources for Rome's founding myths. Material from Greek heroic legend grafted onto native stock at an early date transformed the Trojan prince Aeneas into husband of Lavinia. She was daughter of King Latinus and patronymical ancestor of the Latini people. Through convoluted revisionist genealogy this figure became forebear of Romulus and Remus. By extension the Trojans were adopted as mythical ancestors of the Roman people. Other foundational stories include the Rape of the Sabine women explaining importance of Sabines in formation of culture. Numa Pompilius served as second king who consorted with nymph Egeria to establish legal institutions. Servius Tullius sixth king had mysterious origins mythologized as lover of goddess Fortuna. The Tarpeian Rock explains why traitors faced execution there while Lucretia's self-sacrifice prompted overthrow of monarchy. Cloelia escaped captivity but returned voluntarily to preserve peace treaty after negotiations. Horatius defended a bridge demonstrating individual valor while Mucius Scaevola thrust hand into fire proving loyalty. These narratives dealt with development of government according to divine law expressed through religion.