ROME BEFORE ROME (HB)

Long before Virgil and the Aeneid, the Romans were telling stories about their origins. Some are well-known, like Romulus and Remus and the Rape of the Sabines. Others are more obscure, such as the story of the king Picus, who was turned into a woodpecker. All are significant in their way and had a profound impact on centuries of Roman civilization – and by extension, ours. Even today they continue to reverberate through films, TV programmes and plays. Philip Matyszak explores the myths and legends, heroes and villains that shaped the Roman sense of identity.