Roman Myths is engaging and informative, offering an introduction to
Roman mythology, its roots, and its ongoing importance.
In ancient Rome (753 BC - 476 AD) mythology was integral to various
aspects of society, from religion to politics to the founding of the
city. Today, we may encounter the legacy of these stories before we
encounter the stories themselves, whether this is in day-to-day speech,
the eighteenth-century art on display at the Louvre, or the works of
William Shakespeare. The Roman tendency to accept their mythology as
part of history creates a degree of uncertainty around the historical
basis of the figures featured in these legendary tales. Roman Myths
examines this mythology, from Romulus and Remus and the founding of Rome
to Lucretia and the Republic; from Livy and the Dii Consentes to
Virgil's Aeneid; from Dis Pater in the underworld to Jupiter, god of
the sky.