The 10 most famous Roman Legends (and their history)

Roman legends show elements that are repeated in them, such as the reference to different Popes, Roman gods or appearances of divine beings, just as the appearance of the river is recurrent Tiber. These stories have different purposes, from explaining the founding of Rome to revealing details or specific experiences of specific places in the capital of Italy.

So that, references to the history of Rome will also appear in these narratives. In this article we will refer to the most outstanding characteristics of Roman legends and We will explain 10 of the best known in the history of Rome, so read on if you do not want to stay with the curiosity.

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What are the most important Roman legends?

In Roman legends or mythology it is common to tell stories where the protagonists are gods. Narratives that include the creation of the world, the Roman Empire, and men are also characteristic. In this way, given the area where these legends were created, it is usual to refer to stories from the history of Italy. Also note that Roman legends bear similarities and parallels with Greek legends.

Roman mythology is very extensive, thus having many legends related to this culture. Here we present 10 of the most important and well-known Roman legends.

1. Hercules and the Thief

The legend of Hercules and the Cacus was narrated by Virgil, who is considered the most important Roman poet. The legend tells how Hercules, a very prominent figure in Roman mythology, defeats Cacus, a satyr character with lascivious and cruel behavior. Upon discovering the animals stolen by the Caco in a cave, the main hero proceeds to dismember him for the acts committed.

This legend is represented in a sculpture located in Florence, specifically in the Piazza della Signoria. It is believed that this legend could suppose the beginnings of the adoration of Hercules, in the same way that it explains the development of trade in the region.

2. Tiber Island

It is said that this island, located in the Tiber River, was formed on the body of Lucio Tarquinio the Proud., who was the last Roman king. Since he was not a good king, when he died, the citizens of Rome decided to throw his body into the river. being covered by sediments and earth and thus creating the island known today with the name of island Tiberina.

Because of how the island was created, the inhabitants believed that it was cursed and thus did not come to it. It was after the plague epidemic, which disappeared thanks to the presence of a snake on this island, that the Romans lost their fear of it and came to consider this island as the house of Aesculapius, god of medicine or of the doctors. This relationship between Aesculapius and the Tiber Island was made by the presence of the serpent, which is the symbol related to medicine.

3. The wolf

The legend of the she-wolf or of Romulus and Remus is one of the best known in Roman mythology, where it is tells one of the possible stories of the founding of Rome. Legend explains that the twins Romulus and Remus were abandoned in the Tiber River to save them from being murdered and the basket was handed down by a she-wolf, which welcomed the children and cared for them as his children until they were found by a shepherd, Faustulo, who decided to keep them and raise them, along with his wife, in the same way as other sons.

In this way, the she-wolf is considered a sacred animal in different cultures, in Rome it is conceived as the guardian of the city, we can find the most famous statue of her next to Romulus and Remus in the Capitol museum Roman.

4. The Passetto di Borgo

The Passetto di Borgo was built in 1277 in order to unite Vatican City, the place where the Pope lives, with the Castel Sant'Angelo, in this way this passage would allow the Pope to flee from possible dangers, like wars or invasions.

The secret passage is perceived from the outside as a simple stone wall, although it really does allow people to walk over it, presenting a 3.5 meter wide path. Some of the Popes who used it to flee were Pope Alexander VI and Pope Clement VII. In the same way, legend has it that if you cross the passage 70 times counting the twists and turns you get good luck for his whole life.

5. The tomb of Nero

This legend tells how Nero, considered the most tyrant emperor in the history of Rome, was declared public enemy, thus making the decision to flee and commit suicide in the area currently known as the Piazza del Popolo. He was buried right there and on top of his grave grew a walnut tree. Nero had been the promoter of the greatest slaughter of Christians and given his great cruelty, already pointed out Previously, his grave was a place of black magic practice, it was believed that the place was damned.

It was Pope Paschal II who, in the 12th century, with the aim of ending the curse of that place, ordered 3 days of fasting and prayer, at the end of this period. The Virgin appeared to her who told her that she should perform an exorcism to the tomb, so she opened it, burned the walnut tree and the remains of Nero and threw them into the river Tiber. Thus, in 1472 a basilica was also built, that of Santa María de Popolo as a replacement for the chapel that was created in honor of the Virgin for having guided the Pope in the right decision.

6. Circe and King Pico

The legend tells the story of the two protagonists who give it its name. Pico, son of Saturn and father of Faun, who possessed prophetic and divining powers and always went accompanied by a woodpecker and Circe a sorceress from the island of Eea who was in love with Peak. As love was not reciprocated, the sorceress decided to turn her lover into a bird. This was how Beak of combirtio became a prophetic bird.

7. The alley of the Mazzamurelli

Legend has it that magical spirits inhabit a street in the Trastevere neighborhood, considered small elves, who are called Mazzamurelli, for this reason the alley is named the same as these magical beings. It is believed that these little beings protected the individuals who lived in that street with their powers, although it is also said that they carried out bad behavior and had bewitched different houses in that area.

8. Sant’Angelo Castle

In this legend there appear similarities with other legends already mentioned previously, since it is cited as main elements the Pope of the time, the Tiber River, an apparition and the epidemic of the plague.

It is related that in the 11th century the city of Rome was infested by the plague when Pope Gregory the Great was witness to the appearance of an archangel on the current Sant’Angelo Castle, located right next to the river Tiber. Shortly after the divine event the epidemic disappeared and in gratitude a statue of an angel was placed on top of the castle and it was baptized with the name of Sant'Angelo.

9. The magic door in the Esquilino neighborhood

Legend has it that the Marquis of Palombara, who was a scientist very interested in alchemy, the belief in being able to transmute matter, he welcomed into his house a young alchemist whose purpose was to turn matter into gold. But one night the boy disappeared, leaving only traces of gold and some writings that the marquis could not understand.

With the purpose of recording intelligible writings and giving the possibility that someone deciphering built a door where you can see inscribed such symbols and shapes that he was not able to understand. Today this door is called the Magic Door and is located in the Piazza de Vittorio Emmanuelle II, in Rome.

10. The Dioscuri

The Dioscuri, also known as sons of Zeus or the heavenly twins, they were known as Castor and Pollux, there are different legends that have these two brothers as protagonists. They were considered the patrons of the sailors of both Esparto and Rome, two cities where war was common.

Specifically in Rome it was believed that they had helped the Roman troops to defeat those of the Etrurian wars, an area that we now know by the name of Tuscany, since the twins had been seen in the Forum announcing the victory, for this reason it was decided to build a temple there, in honor of them.

It is also said that Castor was not Zeus's son and therefore was mortal, so in a fight with two of his cousins ​​for stealing a cow, Castor was seriously injured. So that his brother would not die, it is said that Pollux asked his father Zeus for the possibility of dividing his immortality with his brother and that was how he was able to save him.