Past Roman legends

The anonymous author of Origo gentis romanae, written about 360 a.Ch., follows that wit and tracks of Virgil(70b.Ch-19b.Ch), historical man Livy(59b.Ch-17a.Ch) and other; he tells about the origin of Roman people, but with a laughable fantasy, because in the land where after is born Rome he transfers Giano, the first god of Rome, that come to Lazio, the region where is Rome, and he received Saturn, and Antenor, a fantastic figure that is come to Italy before Aeneas; but neither of them has come to Italy, because they never are exist; in fact he mentions Aphrodite and her words that the goddess said in Aeneid of Virgil, hence he has took from Virgil, but or has failed to memory, or has mistook the genealogy, because Creusa, wife of Aeneas, mythical founder of Rome, is daughter of Priam, mythic king of Troy, instead in the Origo, she is daughter of Erectile, mythical king of Athens, instead in archeological reality it is a temple in Athens. But in opinion of author Giano come to Italy with a great fleet, and in Rome he resided on hill Gianicolo, and after come also  Saturn, ancient Roman god of agriculture, and in fact in this fantasy tale he has taught the agriculture to Roman people. We must also consider that this author endeavors give some hint of credibility, but her took from Virgil, this is the poetic work of Virgil, thereupon the Trojan people come to Italy during the reign of Latino, mythical king of Albalonga, an ancient city near Rome; and the Christian believe is present because he hint to flood, and we must interpret it as universal flood, in following words: “Quidem autem tradunt terries diluvio coopertis passim multos diversarum regionum in montibus…”, this is: “Somebody tells that when the earths were cover from flood(universal) the men transferred to mounts and different regions…”. We must contextualized this book in the time when it was written; in 360 a.Ch., the new emperor was Julian the Apostate(b.Ch.331-b.Ch.363), that has renegade the Christian religion and he tried the return to ancient paganism; thereby this emperor was much favorable to a tale that kept the pagan origin of Rome; the author has endeavored a affinity to new chief of Rome, as Virgil to Augustus during the 1th b.Ch., this book is alone an adherence to new predominance of paganism; but it is likewise legendary because the paganism in Rome was predominant until the 5^th, thereby this legend book is alone a momentary return to past, that was at sunset, although continued is predominance. This book is also a celebration of past, both historical and poetic, but the mention of flood is a motive very suspect, because in Roman mythology is a flood, but survived Deucalion and Phyrrha, figures of mythology, aren’t mentioned, and it is strange to author that is rich of particulars regard the mythical figures, evidently he didn’t hinted to protagonist of flood because is was a Christian believe, hence the flood alone could automatically confused with od Deucalion.

Alessandro Lusana