Other editions of book The Story of the Roman People

There is little that is of more practical value to the young folk of to-day than the history of Rome. How a village kingdom became a mighty republic, how the republic became a world-embracing empire, how that empire, the dread and pride of its millions of subjects, fell so low as to become the sport of its own soldiers — all this is, indeed, a tale of marvel. But the history of Rome is more than a mere story. Many of the difficulties and many of the advantages of the Roman Republic are akin to those of the American Republic. The solution of such problems as have already presented themselves in the United States is even now demanding the highest wisdom of the land. Other problems will arise in the near future. Roman history is a mighty object lesson, of value to every citizen of our Republic, of especial value to the children into whose hands the government will so speedily pass. What is learned in years of maturity is an addition to one's mental equipment; what is learned in childhood becomes a part of the mind itself. That those who read this book may find it of interest to-day, of service to-morrow, is the wish of the author.

After the fall of Troy, Aeneas went to Italy and founded Lavinium. His son Ascanius founded Alba Longa.Amulius stole the kingdom from his brother Numitor, and made Rhea Silvia a Vestal virgin. She became the mother of Romulus and Remus. The boys were thrown into the Tiber, but were nursed by a wolf and brought up by Faustulus. When they were grown up, they restored the kingdom to Numitor. Romulus founded Rome in 753 (?) B. C., having slain his brother in a moment of anger. He admitted as citizens all who chose to come. To obtain wives for them, he stole the women of the Sabines and others. War followed. By the disloyalty of Tarpeia, the Sabines were permitted to enter the city. The stolen women made peace between the two nations.The people of Rome were divided into patricians, clients, slaves, and plebeians. The patrician alone had the rights of a citizen. The government was carried on by the king, the senate, and the citizens. The senate was made up of the heads of families. The assembly of patricians, or citizens, was called the comitia curiata.After Romulus had been taken to the gods, he appeared in a vision and predicted that Rome would become the capital of the world...