Predatory Birds In Greek Mythology

The myth of Romulus and Remus chronicles a story of two twin brothers saved and reared by a she wolf. The brothers later founded Rome, and Romulus killed his brother in a struggle for power. Violent in nature, Romulus was a harsh tyrant whose successors were equally as tyrannous. Romans favored Romulus and the story because it taught them “Mars loved [Rome] so dearly he sent a wild animal to nurse its founders”(Hunt 139). Although the story showed Romans how much the gods loved the city, it also taught them that their state was started out of violence. Around 509 BCE, Romans established a republic in hopes that the tyranny would not return. Using the story of the myth, Romans distributed political power during the early republic using the

Symbols such as the predatory birds were important to the Romans to understand the corrupt beginnings of their state. The eagles, owls, and hawks represent the tyranny in the Roman Empire. The symbolism of the predatory birds represents the brutal acts of tyranny and asks the question, “what bird is clean that preys on fellow bird”(Aeschylus). Although the predatory birds have a negative connotation, birds in the story can also be positive. For example, the woodpecker “constantly fed and watched”(Plutarch) Romulus and Remus. The woodpecker here represents the monarch who will nurture his empire but can also act like the predatory birds. Romans used the symbolism of the myth to ensure that they could hinder the development of

The Roman Republic knew the violence that their powerful state was born into; however, they thought that they were destined rule the world and force their social and moral values on other states. Afraid of tyranny, Romans distributed political power during the early republic. They had three different assemblies where they “made legislation, conducted elections, and rendered judgment in trials”(Hunt 150). Romans wanted to ensure that each member of society would have a say in government. The three different assemblies, Centuriate, Plebeian, and Tribal, each had different members of society to keep voting fair. Fear of tyranny lead Romans to do everything in their power to hinder the development of autocracy they experienced during the