RITI E MITI DI FONDAZIONE NELL’ITALIA ANTICA. MOENIA, MURI E CONDITORES NELLA TRADIZIONE LETTERARIA LATINA

Latin words for ‘walls’ moenia and muri both derive from munio and are often used with particular relevance in latin literary tradition because of their connection with the legend of founding of Rome through ploughing a trench round it, a ritual described by Cato (orig. 1, 18) and Varro (ling. 5, 143) and still practiced until late antiquity for the foundation of coloniae. It is but completely ignored by Vitruvius who is concerned only to choose a healthful site for new settlements. Words moenia and muri also recur within some sources of the myth of Romulus’ murder by Romulus or Celer (Livy 1, 7, 1-2; Virgil’ Aeneid; Ovid’s Fasti: partially depending each other and on Ennius’ Annales) revealing different attitudes towards Romulus figure and its counterparts like Aeneas, Caesar and Augustus.