Page:Roman Constitutional History, 753-44 B.C..djvu/19

Rh trade and intercourse with those peoples. Moreover, from its central location, it might be able to command the Mediterranean and its coasts.

The Ramnes and the Tities.—Rome seems to have been one of the younger cities of Latium, and may have been founded about the middle of the eighth century b.c. The tribe (tribus) of Ramnes, or Romans, built a town on the Palatine hill (Palatium, mons Palatinus), and surrounded it with a wall which formed an irregular square (Roma quadrata). As the population increased, one suburb grew up after another, and the town became a city of seven mounts (Septimontium), or rather, localities. Such were the beginnings of Rome. On the Quirinal hill (collis Quirinalis), a short distance north of the Palatine, another independent community existed at that time. Its inhabitants were probably Sabine and may be identified with the traditional tribe of Tities. They had a capitol of their own (Capitolium vetus) and a sanctuary sacred to Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva.

In very early times the Ramnes and Tities united and formed one state. They made the Capitoline hill (Arx et Capitolium, mons Capitolinus) their stronghold, and established on it a place of meeting (area Capitolina) for the popular assembly. In the new state no trace of Sabine institutions can be found, except in the domain of religion, where the Titian brotherhood (sodales Titii) may be mentioned.

The Luceres.—Some time after the union of the Ramnes and Tities a settlement was made on the Caelian hill (mons Caelius), east of the Palatine. The new settlers were possibly the tribe of the Luceres of Roman tradition. They belonged to the Latin nation and may have been exiles from Alba Longa. They also became a part of the city of