🏛️Greek and Roman Myths Unit 14 – Aeneas and the Founding of Rome

Who Was Aeneas?

• Legendary hero of Troy and Rome, son of Anchises and the goddess Aphrodite (Venus)
• Cousin of Hector and Paris, the Trojan princes involved in the Trojan War
• Known for his piety, devotion to family, and obedience to the gods
• Skilled warrior who fought bravely in the Trojan War alongside Hector
• Survived the fall of Troy and led a group of Trojan refugees to Italy
• Considered the ancestor of Romulus and Remus, the legendary founders of Rome
• Revered as a symbol of Roman virtues and the embodiment of Roman ideals
• Played a crucial role in the mythical founding of the Roman civilization

The Trojan War and Aeneas's Escape

• The Trojan War began when Paris, a Trojan prince, abducted Helen, the wife of Menelaus of Sparta
• Aeneas fought alongside Hector and the Trojans against the Greeks during the ten-year war
• After the death of Hector, Aeneas became one of the leading defenders of Troy
• The Greeks infiltrated Troy using the Trojan Horse, leading to the city's fall
• During the sack of Troy, Aeneas carried his elderly father Anchises on his back and led his son Ascanius (Iulus) by the hand
• Aeneas's wife Creusa was lost during the escape, and her ghost appeared to him, urging him to fulfill his destiny in Italy
• Aeneas gathered a group of Trojan survivors and set sail in search of a new homeland
• The escape from Troy marks the beginning of Aeneas's epic journey to establish a new city in Italy

Aeneas's Journey to Italy

• Aeneas and his fellow Trojans embarked on a long and arduous journey to find a new home
• They first landed in Thrace, where they attempted to establish a city but were driven away by a terrible omen
• The Trojans then sailed to Crete, where they again tried to settle but were forced to leave due to a plague
• Aeneas received a prophecy from the Penates, household gods, directing him to sail to Italy, the land of his ancestors
• The Trojans encountered the Harpies, monstrous bird-like creatures, on the Strophades islands
• They visited Buthrotum in Epirus, where Aeneas met Helenus, a seer and son of Priam, who provided guidance for their journey
• The Trojans narrowly escaped the whirlpool Charybdis and the six-headed monster Scylla in the Strait of Messina
• Aeneas and his crew landed in Carthage, where Queen Dido welcomed them and fell in love with Aeneas
  • Aeneas lingered in Carthage, delaying his destiny, until the gods reminded him of his duty to found a new city in Italy
  • Dido, heartbroken by Aeneas's departure, committed suicide, cursing him and his descendants, foreshadowing the future conflict between Rome and Carthage

Key Characters and Their Roles

• Aeneas: The protagonist, a Trojan hero destined to found a new city in Italy and become the ancestor of the Romans
• Anchises: Aeneas's father, who provided guidance and wisdom during their journey until his death in Sicily
• Ascanius (Iulus): Aeneas's son, who accompanied him on the journey and later founded the city of Alba Longa
• Dido: The queen of Carthage who fell in love with Aeneas, delaying his journey to Italy
• Turnus: The king of the Rutuli and Aeneas's main rival in Italy, who sought to marry Lavinia and opposed the Trojans' settlement
• Latinus: The king of Latium who initially welcomed Aeneas and the Trojans, offering his daughter Lavinia in marriage to Aeneas
• Lavinia: The daughter of King Latinus, whose hand in marriage was sought by both Aeneas and Turnus
• Evander: The king of Pallantium, who became an ally of Aeneas and whose son Pallas fought alongside the Trojans
• Mezentius: The cruel Etruscan king who allied with Turnus against Aeneas and the Trojans

Mythological Elements and Divine Interventions

• The gods played a significant role in Aeneas's journey and the founding of Rome
• Venus (Aphrodite): Aeneas's divine mother who protected and guided him throughout his journey
• Juno (Hera): The goddess who harbored resentment towards the Trojans and attempted to hinder Aeneas's progress
  • Juno's animosity stemmed from the Judgment of Paris and the prophecy that the descendants of the Trojans would one day destroy her beloved city, Carthage
• Jupiter (Zeus): The king of the gods who ultimately decreed that Aeneas would succeed in his mission to establish a new city in Italy
• Mercury (Hermes): The messenger god who, on Jupiter's orders, reminded Aeneas of his destiny and urged him to leave Carthage
• Neptune (Poseidon): The god of the sea who calmed the storms that threatened Aeneas's fleet, allowing them to reach Italy safely
• Tiberinus: The river god of the Tiber who appeared to Aeneas in a dream, reassuring him of his destiny and guiding him to the future site of Rome
• Omens and prophecies: Various signs and predictions, such as the eating of the tables (a prophecy fulfilled when the Trojans ate their bread "plates") and the white sow with thirty piglets (representing the future site of Alba Longa), guided Aeneas on his journey

Founding of Lavinium and Alba Longa

• Upon reaching Italy, Aeneas and his followers landed in Latium, where they were welcomed by King Latinus
• Latinus offered his daughter Lavinia in marriage to Aeneas, believing him to be the foreign prince prophesied to marry her
• Turnus, king of the Rutuli and Lavinia's original suitor, opposed the marriage and declared war on the Trojans
• Aeneas formed alliances with local tribes, including the Arcadians led by King Evander
• After a series of battles and individual combats, Aeneas defeated Turnus in single combat, securing his claim to Lavinia and the right to establish a new city
• Aeneas founded the city of Lavinium, named after his new wife, and ruled over the Trojans and Latins
• After Aeneas's death, his son Ascanius (Iulus) founded the city of Alba Longa, which would serve as the capital of the Latin League for centuries
• The founding of Lavinium and Alba Longa laid the groundwork for the eventual rise of Rome, as Romulus and Remus, the legendary founders of Rome, were said to be descendants of Aeneas

Aeneas in Roman Culture and Literature

• The story of Aeneas was a fundamental part of Roman cultural identity and mythology
• Virgil's epic poem, the "Aeneid," written during the reign of Augustus, became the definitive version of Aeneas's story
  • The "Aeneid" portrayed Aeneas as a symbol of Roman virtues, such as piety, duty, and loyalty
  • The poem also served to legitimize the rule of Augustus and the Julian dynasty, who claimed descent from Aeneas through his son Ascanius (Iulus)
• Other Roman writers, such as Ovid and Livy, also included the story of Aeneas in their works
• The figure of Aeneas was used to promote Roman values and to justify Rome's imperial expansion
• Roman art and architecture often depicted scenes from Aeneas's journey and the founding of Rome
• The cult of Aeneas was established in Lavinium, where he was worshipped as a divine ancestor and protector of the city
• The connection between Aeneas and the founding of Rome was a crucial element in the city's foundation myths and cultural identity

Legacy and Historical Significance

• The story of Aeneas and the founding of Rome played a vital role in shaping Roman identity and legitimizing Roman rule
• The myth provided a noble and divine origin for the Roman people, linking them to the great heroes and gods of the past
• The "Aeneid" became a classic of Western literature, influencing countless writers and artists throughout history
• The tale of Aeneas's journey and the founding of Rome served as a model for later epic works, such as Dante's "Divine Comedy" and Milton's "Paradise Lost"
• The myth of Aeneas helped to establish Rome as the cultural and political heir to the great civilizations of Greece and Troy
• The story of Aeneas and the Trojan refugees seeking a new homeland resonated with the Roman experience of conquest and colonization
• The figure of Aeneas embodied the ideals and virtues that Romans aspired to, such as piety, courage, and devotion to duty
• The legacy of Aeneas and the founding of Rome continues to captivate the imagination of people around the world, inspiring art, literature, and popular culture to this day