The Childhood of Rome

A series of imagined episodes recreates the early life of a nascent Roman community, blending domestic detail with founding legends. The narratives portray families on a volcanic slope as they weave, tend flocks, hold communal meals, observe sacred rites, and resolve disputes over boundaries and neighbors. Scenes range from bandit raids and soothsayers to the building of dykes, walls, roads, and the capture of a nearby town, while martial training, ritual dances, and the priestly and female roles in peacemaking are shown. The collection favors evocative storytelling over strict history, suggesting how everyday customs and ceremonies might have shaped an emerging city-state.