00:00Have you ever imagined how the greatest empire in history, one that would eventually rule Europe,
00:05North Africa, and even the Middle East, began with two babies thrown into a river?
00:11Today, we'll uncover the bloody and epic story of the founding of Roman civilization.
00:17According to ancient legend, the history of Rome began in 753 BC. It all began with the twins,
00:24Romans, Romulus, and Remus. They were believed to be descendants of the god of war.
00:30Mars, their greedy uncle usurped the throne and threw the twins into the Tiber River,
00:35but fate had other plans. A miracle happened. They were rescued and suckled by a she-wolf,
00:42before being cared for by a poor shepherd. Long story short, the twins grew into strong young men.
00:49They agreed to build a city on the spot where they were rescued. But, this is where the tragedy began.
00:57Romulus wanted to build the city on the Palatine Hill, while Remus chose the Aventine Hill.
01:03A fierce argument broke out. In a rage, Romulus killed his own twin. With his hand stained with
01:10his brother's blood, Romulus founded the city, named it Rome, and proclaimed himself the first king.
01:16That's the epic version of the legend. So, what are the historical facts?
01:23Archaeologists have a different, but no less fascinating, story.
01:27Rome wasn't built overnight by one man. In the 8th century BC, Rome actually began as small groups
01:35of herders and farmers. They lived on seven hills around the Tiber River. Why there?
01:40Because of its strategic location. The Tiber River Valley was a major trade route for the most valuable
01:47commodity of ancient times, salt. Gradually, these small villages merged, built strong defensive walls,
01:55and coalesced into a city-state. From this combination of muddy settlements and bloody legends of the gods,
02:02Rome was born. And the world was never the same again.
02:06So, if you had to choose, would you prefer the legend of the twins, or the archaeologists' version
02:13of historical facts? Leave your choice in the comments, and subscribe for more historical secrets.
