Who is the Capitoline Wolf of ancient Rome?

The Capitoline Wolf, a bronze sculpture made in central Italy, shows a fierce mother wolf protecting two human babies beneath her. In this video, explore this statue’s connections to the ancient Roman myth of Romulus and Remus, twin brothers said to have been raised by a she-wolf and later to have founded the city of Rome in 753 BCE. The video considers the story of the twins’ miraculous survival and how the wolf became a lasting symbol of Rome’s strength and mythic origins.

Speaker: Dr. Heather Graham

Main Image: Capitoline Wolf, dates contested (wolf possibly 5th century BCE or 11th or 12th century CE; twins 15th century CE), bronze, 75 x 114 cm. Capitoline Museums, Rome.