ius, fearing
that they might aspire to the throne, murdered the son, and made the
daughter, RHEA SILVIA, a Vestal virgin. This he did to prevent her
marrying, for this was forbidden to Vestal virgins. She, however, became
pregnant by Mars, and had twin sons, whom she named ROMULUS and REMUS.
When Amulius was informed of this, he cast their mother into prison, and
ordered the boys to be drowned in the Tiber.

At this time the river was swollen by rains, and had overflowed its
banks. The boys were thrown into a shallow place, escaped drowning, and,
the water subsiding, they were left on dry land. A she wolf, hearing
their cries, ran to them and suckled them. FAUSTULUS, a shepherd who was
near by, seeing this, took the boys home and reared them. When they grew
up and learned who they were, they killed Amulius, and gave the kingdom
to their grandfather, Numitor. Then (753) they founded a city on Mount
Palatinus, which they called ROME, after Romulus. While they were
building a wall around this city, Remus was killed in a quarrel with his
brother.

Romulus, first king of Rome, ruled for thirty-seven years (753-716).
He found the city needed inhabitants, and to increase their number he
opened an asylum, to which many refugees fled. But wives were needed.
To supply this want, he celebrated games, and invited the neighboring
people, the SABINES, to attend the sports. When all were engaged in
looking on, the Romans suddenly made a rush and seized the Sabine
virgins. This bold robbery caused a war, which finally ended in a
compromise, and a sharing of the city with the Sabines. Romulus then
chose one hundred Senators, whom he called PATRES. He also divided the
people into thirty wards. In the thirty-seventh year of his reign he
disappeared, and was believed to have been taken up into heaven.

One year followed without any king, and then NUMA POMPILIUS(716-673), a
Sabine from Cures, was chosen. He was a good man, and a great lawgiver.
Many sacred rites were instituted by him to civilize his barbarous
subjects. He reformed the calendar, and built a temple to the god Janus.
TULLUS HOSTILIUS(673-641) succeeded him. His reign was noted for the
fall of Alba Longa. Then came ANCUS MARCIUS (640-616), the grandson of
Numa. He was a good ruler and popular. He conquered the Latins, enlarged
the city, and built new walls around it. He was the first to build a
prison, and to bridge the Tiber. (Footnote: This bridge was called the
_pons sub