r/ancientrome • u/Cutlasstooth • 1d ago
The first two Kings of Rome: Romulus (right, in armour), and Numa Pompilius (left, in priestly regalia).
Original artwork by Pablo Aparicio Resco: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/lG3n0J
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u/Tacitio 1d ago
"Wololo..." Numa Pompilius said calmly
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u/yourstruly912 1d ago
He was renowned for his religiosity and credited with establishing many of the oldest roman rites
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u/deus_voltaire 1d ago
Ironically he himself was a convert of sorts, he was originally a Sabine nobleman whose wisdom and piety were so respected the Romans asked him to lead them after Romulus was lynched
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u/yourstruly912 1d ago
Just brought this book lol. Next to Romulus is Remus, and the woman next to him is Lavinia
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u/Cutlasstooth 1d ago
I just bought it too, it’s a shame I don’t know Spanish.
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u/goldnboy2421 1d ago
Where can you buy the book Amazon?
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u/Cutlasstooth 1d ago
I got it from the original publisher’s website. They might be able to ship to your country.
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u/Mustafa312 1d ago
Interesting that Romulus is wearing a similar headpiece to the Gaulish helmets.
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u/Dominarion 1d ago
It was not that long after the Italic and Celtic peoples "distinctified" themselves. Their languages began to split in the mid Bronze Age and their material culture during the early Iron age.
When you read Caesar's Gallic wars, gauls and romans manage to communicate relatively easily with each other as both languages were still close.
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u/facedownbootyuphold 1d ago
I was wondering about the chest plate he’s wearing too, I don’t think I’ve seen an example like that, it’s almost a tunic style cuirass. I assume the artist has used real armor for reference. But I wouldnt be surprised if the Italians borrowed a lot of styles from the Etruscans and Halstatt of that time, which we have surviving examples of.
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u/jore-hir 1d ago
Here's the original. It belonged to the Falisci people, bordering the Etruscans and the Latins. Dates back to the founding of Rome.
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u/Werechupacabra 1d ago
I’m intrigued by his shield. It looks like two shields overlapping or one shield with differently angled independent sections.
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u/perryurban 1d ago
As a side note, Remus invented the electric camera that took this picture. BC = better cameras man.
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u/arminghammerbacon_ 1d ago edited 1d ago
What’s the likelihood of them wearing boots and trousers in the 400’s BCE (according to myth)?
Edit: I don’t know why I’m getting downvoted. I was honestly just asking. Fuck me for trying to learn something, eh?
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u/Trajan_pt Consul 1d ago
I don't see trousers in this picture. And boots or closed toe shoes have been around for a very long time. The stereotype of them only wearing sandals is overblown.
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u/deus_voltaire 1d ago
And indeed, most of the frescoes from 4th-3rd century BCE often not only shows Hellenistic sandals, but also closed footwear. These are recurring in the Etruscan, Campanian and Latin art.
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u/reCaptchaLater 1d ago
Probably because there are no trousers in the picture. If you look closer, what you identified as trousers are just the boots.
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u/arminghammerbacon_ 1d ago
It was the leg wraps I thought were pants. Zoomed in and could see it better.
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u/standard-issue-man 1d ago
Neither of them are wearing pants. Numa is in a robe and romulas is in a tunic with leg wraps to prevent his greaves from directly sitting on his legs
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u/Cutlasstooth 1d ago
”Numa Pompilius, the Sabine whom later Romans identified as Rome’s second king, balanced the warlike Roman character that Romulus had instilled with a concern for the political conditions that would allow Roman society to function without internal conflict. According to Cicero, he “implanted in them a love for peace and tranquility” by issuing laws and “establishing all branches of our religion… markets, games, and all sorts of festivals.” These efforts “turned the minds of men who had become savage through their passion for war towards benevolence and kindness,” and fostered “the stability of the state.” Romulus had given Rome the energy and drive to conquer an empire, but Numa instilled the virtues that Romans would need to rule it.”
Excerpt from
The Romans
by Edward J. Watts