Numitor

In Roman mythology, King Numitor /ˈnuːmᵻtər/^[1] of Alba Longa, was the son of Procas, descendant of Aeneas the Trojan, and father of Rhea Silvia and Lausus^[2]a

In 794 BC^[3] Procas died and was meant to be succeeded by Numitor. Instead he was overthrown and removed from the kingdom by his brother, Amulius, who had no respect for his father's will or his brother's seniority.^[4] Amulius also murdered his sons, in an effort to remove power from his brother for himself.^[4]

His daughter Rhea was made Vestal Virgin by Amulius rendering her unable to have children on pain of death; however, she was forcibly impregnated by the god Mars.^[5] Numitor's grandchildren Romulus and Remus were born. They overthrew Amulius and reinstated Numitor as king of Alba Longa in 752.^[6]

See also

• Aeneid
• The Golden Bough (mythology)

Notes

^ Ovid names his children as Lausus and Ilia^[7] whereas Livy says Amulius had his two sons killed.^[8]

References

1. Also /ˈnjuːmᵻtər, ˈnuːmᵻtɔːr, ˈnjuːmᵻtɔːr/
2. Ovid Fasti IV
3. Dionysius of Halicarnassus Roman Antiquities 71.4
4. Livy I.3.10
5. Livy I.4.2
6. Dionysius of Halicarnassus Roman Antiquities 71.5
7. Ovid Fasti IV
8. Livy Roman History I.3.10