How this statue embodies the beginnings of the illustrious history of the Roman Empire.

The wolf and twins sculpture

How and why did ancient Romans use myth to validate their power? Emperor Augustus legitimised his rule by entwining his own ancestry with the mythical stories of Rome's foundation, and created a divine aura around Rome as capital of the vast empire. This album visits key emblems associated with Rome's beginnings: the Forum and the Capitoline Hill with its statue of the she-wolf and Romulus and Remus; the Emperor Augustus's palace and ceremonial altar, and the 17th Century D'Arpino frescos of foundation myths commissioned by Pope Innocent X to underpin his authority. By monumentalising and glorifying their real and legendary past, Romans painted their own history and this continues to encapsulate Roman identity today. This material forms part of The Open University course A330 Myth in the Greek and Roman worlds.

Share The wolf and twins sculpture

The wolf and twins sculpture

The wolf and twins sculpture

More shows like Myth at the heart of the Roman Empire - for iPod/iPhone

Writing Poetry - Audio

Portales: beginners' Spanish - Audio

Bon départ: beginners' French - Audio

Beginners’ Chinese - Audio

Geological time - for iPod/iPhone

The Open University Worldwide - for iPod/iPhone

Moons of the Solar System - for iPod/iPhone

Rheumatoid arthritis - a long term condition - for iPod/iPhone

Andante: beginners' Italian - Audio

Bon départ: beginners’ French second edition - for iPod/iPhone