Amulius

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In Roman mythology, Amulius was the brother of Numitor and son of Procas. His brother, Numitor, was the King of Alba Longa. Amulius overthrew him and took the throne. Amulius forced Rhea Silvia, Numitor's daughter, to become a Vestal Virgin, a devotee of Vesta, so that she would never bear any sons that might overthrow him. However, she was raped by the god Mars, resulting in the birth of Romulus and Remus.

Amulius buried Rhea Silvia alive and threw her sons into the river Tiber because he thought she violated her oaths of chastity. The river-god, Tiberinus found the twins and gave them to a she-wolf to suckle and then saved and married Rhea Silvia. Romulus and Remus went on to found Rome and overthrow Amulius, reinstating Numitor as King of Alba Longa.But in the end Romulus and Remus argued about who should rule their land and Romulus decided to murder his own brother in which the name Rome came from Romulus.

[edit] References

Livy I, 3-5.

[edit] Family tree of the kings of Alba Longa

Ascanius, or Iulus

Atys

Amulius

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