Mythology Studyguide

Map Location

Learn to locate the following cities on the map:
- Rome
- Carthage (Carthago)

Aeneas: A Trojan hero from the Trojan War.
- Son of Aphrodite and Anchises.
- First wife: Creusa, with whom he had a son, Ascanius (nicknamed Iulus).
- Iulus is an important figure as the Romans, including Julius Caesar and Augustus, claimed descent from him.
Escape from Troy: Aeneas saves his family and sacred objects but loses Creusa during the sack of Troy.
Journey: Aeneas, along with other Trojans, sets out to find a new settlement in Italy following a prophecy.
- He sees a sow nursing thirty piglets, which is part of the prophecy, and finds the Trojans eating their own tables (plates made of dough).
Divine Opposition: Goddess Juno opposes Aeneas and the Trojans due to her grudge against Troy.

The Trojans are shipwrecked near Carthage, founded by Queen Dido.
Dido's Love: She falls in love with Aeneas, believing they are married.
Divine Command: The gods instruct Aeneas to leave Dido to fulfill his destiny in Italy.
- Dido curses Aeneas, prophesizing that his descendants will be enemies of Carthage, a curse that eventually leads to war between Rome and Carthage.
- Dido tragically commits suicide after Aeneas leaves.

Loss: Aeneas' father, Anchises, dies and is buried in Sicily.
Underworld Visit: Aeneas visits the underworld with the guidance of the Sibyl, where he meets his father's ghost, who foretells Rome's glorious future.
Arrival in Latium: Trojans reach Latium, where they see the prophetic sow.
- They make dough plates and eat them, fulfilling the prophecy.
Conflict with Turnus: Local king Latinus decides to marry his daughter Lavinia to Aeneas instead of the local hero Turnus, leading to conflict.
- Aeneas fights and kills Turnus, marrying Lavinia and founding the city of Lavinium.
- Aeneas later dies in battle and is worshipped as a god in Roman culture.

Ascanius/Iulus establishes a lineage of rulers that connects Aeneas to the founding of Rome, despite being centuries apart.

Romulus and Remus: Twins born to a descendant of Aeneas, with Mars (god of war) as their father and a mother from a deposed royal lineage.
- Their birth is seen as a threat by the reigning king, who orders them drowned.
- They are saved by a she-wolf and later found by a shepherd.
Founding of Rome: Recognized by their grandfather, the twins attempt to establish a city at the site of their rescue.
- They seek divine approval through augury (bird flight).
- Romulus is chosen, but in a quarrel with Remus, he kills his brother.
Population of Rome: To repopulate the city, Romulus invites the Sabines to a festival and kidnaps their women, leading to a conflict resolved by the women advocating for peace.
End of Romulus: After a successful reign, Romulus disappears into a cloud and is worshipped as a god.