The Rape of the Sabine Women
A Roman Legend and the Tradition that Still Survives Today
Aug 23, 2008
Where Does this Tradition Come From?
According to Roman Legend Romulus and Remis built a city. A fight between the brothers left Remis dead and Rome was named after its surviving founder. Rome found itself full of strong brave men but few women to assure its survival.
Romulus petitioned the surrounding tribes for rights to intermarry. Despite great effort the Roman requests were all met with stern declination. Romulus decided that if the neighboring towns would not share their women, Rome would take them.
The Romans hid their dismay and sent out word that they would hold the grandest festival and greatest games in a celebration, to honor 'Equestrian Neptune'. Excited at the prospect of such a festival and curious to get a glimpse of the new city, the surrounding tribes flocked to Rome.
The Sabine came in the greatest number, bringing their wives and children. All were hypnotized by the great city; the men ready to compete against its builders, the women and children anxious to watch.
When the games began and all were distracted; the signal was given and the Roman men rushed after the young maidens, most the women of the Sabine, swept them up and carried them off in all directions to their homes. Startled, most of the visitors fled, leaving their women at the mercy of the Romans.
Capturing the persons of the Sabine women proved far easier than winning their affection however. Romulus went round to all and sought to alleviate their dismay. He promised that, ‘’They would live in honourable wedlock, and share all their property and civil rights, and…would be the mothers of freemen.’’ And he assured them that in Roman husbands they would find more affection than in all other men to make up for their loss and unhappiness.
Retaliation was slow to come. Most tribes were unaffected as the Sabine and feared war with Rome, but an army was raised; with the Sabine fathers at its head, it fell on Rome with violent intention. The Romans met them with the same. The two armies traded insults and missiles then charged forward, the fathers of the Sabine women on one side, their husbands on the other.
Before they could meet the Sabine women threw themselves into the fray. Stop they cried. Kill us before yourselves, for no matter the victor we will be either orphans or widows; a fate worse than death. Both sides were moved by their plea and honored by the love of their wives and daughters. The battle was stopped and peace was made. Rome now had its wives and the Sabine their daughters.
The Tradition Began.
For good fortune and in order that Romans should never forget where its mothers came from, it became tradition that husbands carry their brides across the threshold of their new home upon first entering it, just as the first Sabine Women had been carried into their new homes by their Roman husbands. That tradition has survived for over 2700 years and is still observed by many peoples across the world.
It seems ironic that such a joyous tradition arises from an event known throughout history as the Rape of the Sabine Women. It is important to note that the Sabine Women were not raped as the contemporary definition of rape would suggest. Rape in Roman antiquity referred to the act of abduction and not sexual violation; nonetheless it was a capital crime. The Rape of the Sabine Women was only glorified by Romans because it was an act necessary for survival and not personal pleasure.
Sources
Livius, Titus (Livy). The History of Rome. Vol. I. <http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/etcbin/browse-mixed-new?id=Liv1His&images=images/modeng&data=/texts/english/modeng/parsed&tag=public>
Plutarch. Life of Romulus. The Parallel Lives. <http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Plutarch/Lives/Romulus*.html>
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