The Rise and Fall of the Roman World expansive timeline of Roman history

Rome’s mythical origins and its first king, Romulus, established the foundational character, population, and early institutions that fueled the city's initial rise. Divine Lineage and Militaristic Identity The city’s rise was culturally tied to its mythical parentage. Romulus and Remus were said to be the sons of Mars, the god of war, which provided a legendary justification for Rome’s future as an ultra-militaristic power. Their survival story—being ordered to death by King Amulius, set adrift in a river, and nursed by a wolf—framed the Roman identity as one born of struggle and divine favor. The Founding and Fratricide The physical founding of Rome was defined by a dispute between the brothers over which hill to build upon: Romulus chose the Palatine Hill, while Remus chose the Aventine. After a contest of omens involving bird sightings failed to settle the matter, Romulus began building a wall. When Remus mockingly jumped over it, Romulus killed his brother, establishing the city as his own and setting a precedent for a singular, strong executive leader. The "Asylum City" Strategy To grow the city from what was initially a "homeless camp," Romulus declared Rome an asylum city. This policy successfully attracted a large, diverse population of runaway slaves, debt dodgers, exiles, and criminals. While this provided the necessary manpower for a rising state, it also created a "chaotic" masculine society that lacked the means to sustain a future generation. The Kidnapping of the Sabines and Unification Romulus addressed the lack of women by hosting a festival and kidnapping the daughters of the neighboring Sabines. This led to the first official Roman war. The conflict ended not with a total conquest, but with a merger; the Sabine women intervened to stop the fighting, leading the two groups to become "one people". This ability to absorb other populations became a hallmark of Roman expansion.