Romes Origin...

[Guest Scanderbeg]

Is there any sort of clue as to where or whom the Roman originated from? Were they proto-Italics etc.?

[skel]

well the only two beliefs i know anything about really are that rome was founded by refugees of troy during the trojan war.. and the story of romulus and remus. but its my guess that in actuallity it was simply nomadic people from eastern europe and central asia that eventually migrated to italy, and later on establishing themselves as poeple and then founded the great city...

[Guest Scanderbeg]

Yea but thats more of a mythical tale. To me it seems like the Romans simply wanted to share in the glory of the classical Hellenistic age. I never was too much on founding theories. The date however could mean something.

[pompeius magnus]

they likly are indo-european migrants and take the trojan origins because of greek mythology. Read a book by TJ Cornell called The Beginnings of Rome, it puts it all in perspective.

[Lacertus]

I like then following theory: up to 12 BC Italy was populated by swarthy people of Mediterranean type. To 10 BC begins promoting of Aryan tribe toward South. They occuped more part of North and Central of Italy and mixed with their proceeders. There is a opinion that the Trojans were Arian's tribe, which belong the Celts, the Greeces and etc. it's likehood that Indo-European and Aryan are same tribe.

[Ursus]

Latin is part of the Indo-European (sometimes called "Aryan", though not so much since the Nazis abused the term) languages. And Roman culture and religion have some broad things in common with other IE peoples, so an offshoot of the ancient Proto-Indo European peoples went into the Italian peninsula to become the Italic peoples. The homeland of the Indo-Europeans is in dispute, but it probably is somewhere in the Russan plains.

 

Wherever Indo-European tribes went, they either conquered or peacefully melded with other peoples already living there. Roman religion and culture also betrays signs of a general Mediterranean culture.

 

So Romans are probably a mix of people, Indo-Europeans and various Mediterranean peoples. And their foundation mythology may have truth in several tribes coming together to populate the seven hills.

[Zeke]

I love how Ursus does that!

 

And their foundation mythology may have truth in several tribes coming together to populate the seven hills.

 

He takes no side.

 

Zeke

[Ursus]

Hey, I think there is usually truth in myth. Just not a literal truth. A metaphorical truth dimly remembered from pre-history. A cultural truth that stands the test of time. The "truth" about the Roman foundation mythology is that Romans were generally willing to incoporate other people into their society when they found them useful. The "truth" is that an offshoot of Indo-European tribes collided with the Mediterranean types already living there, and either through conquest or peaceful co-option merged into a single culture. The "truth" is that the Romans would repeat the process throughout their history and turn other people into Romans when it suited their purpose.

[Zeke]

That is what I like about the Romans the most, their liberal view to assimilate people to make them part of the glorious empire that rulled the land.

 

Zeke