Neptune's Dolphins

In their civilian capacity, Romans are called “Quirites.” This is in reference to Quirinus, God of the Roman People. This ancient God was first a War God of the Sabines and then later the deified Romulus, the Founder of Rome. The fluidity of Quirinus from Sabine God to God of the Archaic Triad to the Divine Romulus is not that unusual. Romans are always reviewing their relations with various Ancient Gods. What has remained is the essence of the God with his association with the Roman people.

 

First, Quirinus was regarded to be the War God of the Sabines. When the Romans absorbed Quirinal Hill (Note 1), where the Sabines had lived, they installed Him with Jupiter and Mars as the Archaic Triad. These three Gods oversaw Roman affairs before the Republic. To that end, the Romans established Flamen Maiores (Major Priests) for these Gods – Flamen Dialis (Jupiter), Flamen Martialis (Mars) and Flamen Quirinalis (Quirinus). Each received one third of the spoils of war (spolia opima).

 

Unlike the Weapons of Mars, the Sacred Arms of Quirinus were smeared in pitch. These Arms were stored instead of being kept ready for war. With his weapons, Quirinus remained in Rome to protect the people. Servius wrote “when Mars rages uncontrolled, He is called Gradivus (the Marching God), when He is calm, He is called Quirinus.”

 

The Flamen Quirinalis, presided in four festivals – the Fornacalia which includes the Quirinalia, the Robigalia, the Consualia Aestivia, and the Larentalia. These festivals except for the Larentalia, focused on the preservation of grain, while the grain was growing, being stored, and baked. Meanwhile, the Larentalia focused on the Founding of Rome. All the festivals that included Quirinus emphasized the well-being of the people.

 

By the end of the Republic, Quirinus became the deified Romulus. In “Fasti,” Ovid wrote that Jupiter raised the half-human Romulus to Godhood. He explained that Romulus had been taken up in a thunderstorm. Meanwhile, Proculus Julius (of the same Gens as Julius Caesar) announced that Romulus had appeared to him to inform the Romans that He was now Quirinus. After that, Augustus Caesar built Quirinus a new temple that was to be the largest in Rome.

 

One reason that Romulus became Quirinus is because both were involved with the Curiae (wards of the City). Romulus had divided the Romans into three Tribes (Ramnes, Tities, and Luceres), then divided each into ten Curiae. Meanwhile, Quirinus guarded the joining of the Romans and Sabines, to form the Curiae.

 

Notes:

Note 1: Quirinal Hill of Rome is considered to be the residing place of the God.

 

For my meditation, I decided to rewrite the myth of the founding of Rome. After reflection, I choose to write a crime noir story. I realized that at their core, the Romans knew that they were criminals, who “made good.” Romans were realists about who they were. Their focus was on their destiny through war and guile.

 

Read the myth here: The Founding Myth of Rome

 

https://neptunesdolphins.wordpress.com/2019/02/13/the-founding-myth-of-rome/

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In the City of Alba Longa, the Numitor Crime Family ruled the criminal underworld. The head of the Family, Don Numitor was so powerful that he had a seat on the National Commission, which ruled the criminal underworld of the nation. The head of the Commission (the Boss of Bosses) was Don Maroni (Mars, the God of War). In addition, Don Maroni was interested in Rhea Silvia, Don Numitor’s daughter.

 

Meanwhile, Amulius seized control of the Family from his unsuspecting brother. After his coup, Amulius confined Numitor to his home, and forced his niece into a convent. To ensure that Rhea Silvia remained at the convent, Don Amulius bribed the Mother Superior.

 

After Don Maroni found out where Rhea Silvia was, he also bribed the Mother Superior to ensure that his visits were unimpeded. In a few months, Rhea Silva became pregnant. Therefore the Mother Superior asked Don Amulius to come and fetch his niece. After he arrives, she informs him that the father of his niece’s children is none other than Don Maroni. Not willing to offend the Boss of Bosses, Don Amulius imprisons her with her father in their house.

 

However, Don Amulius regarded her children to be a different matter. He would tell Don Maroni, that the two boys died at birth. Meanwhile, he ordered one of his men to “take care” of them. The goon dumped the twins into the Tiber River. They floated downstream until a stray dog paddled out and pulled them to land. Since she had lost her puppies, the mangy dog nursed the boys as her own. Then, a passing farmer heard their cries, rescued them, and took the babies to his farm. Faustulus and his wife, Acca Larentia, raised Romulus and Remus as their own sons.

 

Like many young men, Romulus and Remus longed to leave the farm and go into the city. During a trip to Alba Longa, Romulus and Remus got into trouble. Don Amulius’ men dragged them to the “Padrino,” Don Amulius, since Remus had killed their Capo (Crew Boss). However, Romulus escaped, and formed a gang of toughs to storm Don Amulius’ office to rescue his brother. In the melee that followed, he killed Don Amulius.

 

The Underboss of the Amulius Family recognized the two brothers as the children of Rhea Silva and Don Maroni. Because of this, he offered them the position of Don of the Family. But, Romulus decided that his grandfather be reinstated instead, and their mother freed. After reuniting with their mother, and learning who their father was, Romulus and Remus set out to start their own crime family, in another city.

 

Empowered by being the sons of Don Maroni, the two brothers gathered an impressive group of criminals. As they searched for a suitable city, Romulus and Remus fought with each other. Arriving at a likely town, their arguing became more intense about who would be boss of the new crime family. After Romulus claimed that he received a sign from their father, he decided that this small town is the place to start their Family. Moreover, he announced that he would be the Don. Chagrined at being ignored by his brother, Remus taunted him for being so stupid to set up “business” in such a small town. Enraged, Romulus killed him. After ruing the murder of his brother, Romulus gave Remus a magnificent funeral. Then, he became Don Romulus, the head of the Rome Family, his new crime organization.