Hello, and welcome to the history of Rome.

The founding of Rome is an event wrapped in myth.

Lacking a credible historical record, it is impossible to know exactly what led to the establishment

of the eternal city, but we do know the legend the Romans told themselves, and have some

idea of the population migrations that took place in central Italy at the time, so we can

piece together a general timeline of events.

There may be truth wrapped up in the official legend and there may not, but it is a good

story and an important one to know for students of ancient history.

It is the story of a refugee Trojan prince, and how his great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandsons

would be wet nursed by a she-wolf and later found the greatest city of the ancient world.

The story of Rome begins with the end of the Trojan War.

After Troy was finally sacked by the Greeks, Aeneas, chief lieutenant of Hector, managed

to escape with a few followers.

They boarded ships and set out into the Mediterranean to find a new home.

Their Odyssey took them from Asia Minor to the North Coast of Africa, where Aeneas managed

to sow the seeds of the three Punic Wars by seducing the Carthaginian Queen Dito and then abandoning

her.

Virgil writes that in the final moments before she committed suicide, Dito cursed the descendants

of both to eternal enmity, O my tyrians besiege with hate his progeny and all his race

to come, make this your offering to my dust, no love, no pact must be between our peoples,

no but rise up from my bones avenging spirit, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

After securing an arch enemy for Rome, Aeneas sailed to the west coast of Italy where

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