Romulus Founds Rome: 753 BC Birth of an Empire
The traditional founding date of Rome, April 21, 753 BC, was calculated by the Roman scholar Marcus Terentius Varro in the 1st century BC and became the basis for the Roman dating system of ab urbe condita (from the founding of the city). Archaeological evidence suggests the Palatine Hill was settled as early as 1000 BC, but Varro's date anchored the mythology of Romulus and Remus to a specific year. The date coincided with the Parilia festival, a pastoral celebration of the goddess Pales involving bonfires and ritual purification. Romans celebrated the anniversary as the Natale di Roma. The founding myth served political purposes: it gave Rome divine origins through Mars, the god of war, and justified expansion as the destiny of a city born from divine will.
April 21, 753 BC
Key Figures & Places
What Else Happened on April 21
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