Palaiophron’s latest post from Zonaras on the brothers Romulus and Romus made me think of the Italian variations on that famous foundation myth. Last summer I took a group of students to Siena where the local traditions use some iconography that is familiar, but present a particular twist on the theme:
According to the local traditions, the sons of Remus, Senius and Aschius, fled Rome after Romulus murdered their father and came to Siena. The city’s name came from the first brother. Note that instead of the Roman SPQR (Senatus Populusque Romanus) the base of this statue bears SPQS. Thinking global; living local.
(Siena is amazing. Here’s my post on a running tour of Siena)
