1. 8th century vase found near Rome with a Greek inscription
1.1. This shows that there was contact between the Greeks and Romans right from the start
2. Roman foundation myths all depend on a heroic male founder
2.1. women appear as the bearers of children, and their choices are controlled by the men who have power over them
3. THE RAPE OF WOMEN AS AN AGENT OF CHANGE
4. Greek myths
4.1. Aeneas
4.1.1. made famous from the Roman poet Vergil's epic poem the Aeneid
4.1.2. Aeneas founded the city of Alba Longa, near the future site of Rome
4.1.3. Romulus and Remus were descendants of Aeneas, and they went on to found the city of Rome
4.2. Odysseus
4.3. the palladion (sacred image of the Greek goddess Athena) brought from Troy to Rome
4.4. the hero Herakles, or Hercules, defeated the monster Cacus on the future site of Rome. Hercules fathered a son by a local nymph from whom a powerful Roman family called Fabius claimed to be descended.
5. Romulus and Remus
5.1. the princess Rhea Silvia was raped by the god Mars, and she bore twin sons Romulus and Remus
5.1.1. Abandoned as babies, the twins were nursed by a mother wolf and then raised by poor shepherds
5.1.2. Romulus killed his brother Remus, and became the first king of Rome
5.1.2.1. FRATRICIDE!
5.1.3. Romulus invited all fugitives to become citizens of his new city, but he ended up with too many men and almost no women.
5.1.3.1. When the neighbouring people, the Sabines, refused to give their daughters in marriage to the new Roman men, Romulus kidnapped them and they were forced to marry Roman citizens
5.1.3.1.1. The Sabine men went to war against Rome to reclaim their daughters, but by this time the Sabine daughters had borne children to their Roman husbands, and they ran onto the battle field, begging their fathers and brothers not to fight with their new husbands