The origins of the city of Rome are clearly divided between history and legend. According to legend, the city was founded by Rome’s first king, Romulus, after killing his twin brother Remus. History, however, tells us that Rome was born from the gradual unification of villages scattered across the various hills, such as the Palatine, Capitoline, and Aventine hills.

Archaeological findings confirm some aspects of the myth: for example, the first city walls, the subject of the dispute between Romulus and Remus, indeed date back to the 8th century, as the legend says. "Rome was not built in a day," as the ancient saying goes, and indeed it wasn’t: it was a long process, not a foundation on a specific date.