When Aeneas landed in central Italy, he made peace with the natives (Latins). He married a Latin princess named Livinia and the Trojans built a village named Livinium, named after Aeneas' wife.
Ascanius, Aeneas' son, became ruler after his father's death. Ascanius left Lavinia to rule Lavinium and founded Alba Longa in the Alba Hills. Thirteen generations later, King Numitor was dethroned by his younger brother Amulius. Amulius ordered the death of Numitor's sons and made Rhea Silvia, Numitor's daughter, a Vestal Virgin.
Mars, the god of war, took interest in this nation. He made love to Rhea who gave birth to twin boys. Amulius became furious; he imprisoned Rhea and ordered the twin boys to be drowned in the Tiber River.
The river was flooded and they could not be placed in its main current, so they were left in a basket near the edge of the Tiber. After the floods receded the boys were found by a she-wolf. The she-wolf gave them milk and took care of them as if they were her own cubs. A herdsman found the boys and brought them to his hut. He and his wife named them Romulus and Remus.
They grew up and killed Amulius, bringing their grandfather Numitor back as ruler of Alba Longa. Romulus and Remus wanted to build a city on the Tiber River where they had been found by the she-wolf.
Between the twins they didn't know who should rule. They turned to the gods to decide the king. Remus stood on Aventine Hill and Romulus stood on Palatine Hill. Remus saw 6 vultures then Romulus saw 12 vultures.
The king was still not decided. Remus only saw 6 vultures but he saw them before Romulus saw any. One day Remus jumped over a stone wall he was building and provoked Romulus. Romulus was enraged and kicked and struck Remus with his spade, killing him dead. He shouted, "May all those that leap over my walls perish this!"
The new city was named Rome after Romulus in 753 BC. It's believed that Rome proved so greatly in war because Romulus was the son of the god of war.
