The legend says that the young Rea Silvia, (daughter of the king of Albalonga, Numitore, nephew of the cruel Amulio, whom usurped the throne that was due to his brother) was a priestess of the goddess Vesta, protector of the domestic fireplace; because this was her function she could not marry nor have sons. But she fell in love with the God Mars and from that love two sons were born. When uncle Amulio found out about it, he confined the niece to a cellar and he ordered his servant to kill the two twins. But the man had pity and, instead of killing them, he abandoned them on the Tiber shores.

Mars was protecting the two twins: in fact, they were saved by a she-wolf (la lupa) that each day went to the Tiber shores. She took care of them and fed them with her milk. Soon after, a shepherd called Faustolo found the twins and he brought them home. Him and his wife Laurenzia took care of the children and they called them Romolo and Remo.

Fully grown, they learned their story and decided to go back to Albalonga. Here they punished the cruel Amulio and set free their grandfather. The two twins left Albalonga and they decided to found a new city. But they didn't agree about where to build it: Romolo preferred the Tiber shore (Palatino Hill), Remo on the Aventino Hill; also, who would decide the name?

They decided to interrogate the Gods, through observing the flight of the birds, in the style of the Etruscans. He, who would see a larger number of vultures, would win! Remo saw 9 and Romolo saw 12 of them. Immediately, excited by this victory, Romolo took a plough and drew a quadrangular shaped furrow, on the earth marking the center of the new city in the Palatino Hill: The Quadrate City. The new city that was born in the place wanted by Romolo was called ROMA (Rome) and Romolo was its first king. It was April 21, 753 (B.C.). The foundation of the new town marked the end of Remo. It had been decided that no one could pass the boundary without permission of Romolo. But Remo for envy or in fun, jumped over it and laughing said: "Look! Its so easy!" Romolo full of wrath, flung himself on Remo, took up a sword and killed him, shouting that anyone who had insulted the name of Roma was to die. Romolo ruled the town wisely. One day during a storm, he disappeared, carried off by the god Mars...