The popular myth of the founding of Rome is the story of twins Romulus and Remus who were reared by a wolf. They decided to build a city but when Romulus killed Remus after a quarrel, in 753 BC, the city was named Rome after Romulus. There are other theories though, such as the name Rome coming from the Greek rhoma ‘strength’.
Early Rome was ruled by a succession of kings, whose reign was overthrown in 510 BC and the Roman Republic was established. It became so powerful that it subdued most of Europe and became the Roman Empire. It was eventually overthrown, as empires do in the end, and Rome much later became the capital city of Italy. Rome is now one of the most popular cities to visit, with over 4 million visitors a year.
Rome has also given its name to many words and expressions. Romance comes from the Latin Romanicus ‘Roman’. A Roman nose is one with a high bridge, a Roman blind is a window blind made of fabric that draws up into pleats and a Roman candle is a firework. A Roman holiday is an occasion on which enjoyment or profit is derived from others’ suffering or discomfort – from the days of the gladiators.
The popular phrase All roads lead to Rome means that there are many different ways to get to the same goal. The Roman Empire’s road system was such that at the peak of Rome’s development, no fewer than 29 great military highways radiated from the capital. They were built mainly to further their military campaigns.
When in Rome, do as the Romans do is advice to adapt to match your behaviour and language to the culture around you. And if you’re being impatient, you might be told that Rome wasn’t built in a day.
Happy puzzling!
