Romolo

Romolo is the Italian form of Romulus, the legendary founder of Rome in Roman mythology. In the traditional tale, Romolo and his twin brother Remo were sons of the god Mars and the priestess Rhea Silvia. Raised by a she-wolf, they are said to have founded the city on the Palatine Hill after a dispute over supremacy, during which Romolo killed Remo and became the first king of Rome. The myth associates Romolo with the origins of Roman institutions, religious practices, and urban foundations that shaped early Roman identity.

Etymology and usage: The name Romolo is closely tied to the founding legend and the city’s origins. In Italian literature and culture, Romolo (often paired with Remo as Romolo e Remo) remains a symbolic figure representing Rome’s beginnings. The story of Romolo and Remo appears in ancient sources and has been echoed in later medieval and Renaissance retellings, as well as in art, theater, and popular culture.

Historicity and legacy: The Romulus narrative is widely regarded by scholars as myth or legendary history rather than a verifiable historical account. While archaeological evidence confirms early urban development in the region, it does not decisively confirm the specific deeds of Romolo. Nevertheless, the figure of Romolo has had a lasting influence on Roman, Italian, and Western cultural imagination, contributing to themes of founding, leadership, and the origins of Rome.