Roman Myths: Gods, Heroes, Villains and Legends of Ancient Rome

In ancient Rome (753 BC - 476 AD) mythology was integral to various aspects of society, from religion to politics to the founding of the city. Today, we may encounter the legacy of these stories before we encounter the stories themselves, whether this is in day-to-day speech, the eighteenth-century art on display at the Louvre, or the works of William Shakespeare. The Roman tendency to accept their mythology as part of history creates a degree of uncertainty around the historical basis of the figures featured in these legendary tales. Roman Myths examines this mythology, from Romulus and Remus and the founding of Rome to Lucretia and the Republic; from Livy and the Dii Consentes to Virgil's Aeneid; from Dis Pater in the underworld to Jupiter, god of the sky.