The Exemplary Lessons of Livy's Romulus

Pursuing Livy's explicit statement on the exemplary value of history in pref. 10, this essay examines how Livy projects exemplary lessons through his characterization of Romulus. I argue that Livy has shaped his narrative to present Romulus as an exemplary figure worthy of imitation because he always successfully acted for the good of Rome. Acts that might seem morally questionable (such as the abduction of his neighbors' daughters) are to be understood as valuable for their strengthening of the city; patriotism makes moral demands of its own. Thus Romulus's exemplary value is not morally simple, but includes the consideration of his motives and the results he achieved. I conclude by suggesting that such a characterization would have been highly resonant at the time of its composition, for it proposes a standard by which the victor at Actium could be measured.