Senius and Aschius
Senius and Aschius are the two legendary founders of the Italian city of Siena . In the medieval tradition of the city, not based on ancient models, they were brothers and sons of Remus and nephews of Romulus. Romulus and Remus, in turn, are the legendary founders of Rome .
According to a legend that developed in Siena and has not been documented before the 16th century, Senius and his brother Aschius were forced to flee after their father Remus was murdered by his brother Romulus after the founding of Rome. In their escape, they rode a white and a black horse. According to legend, the city arms of Siena were given the colors black and white based on this. After their escape, the two founded the city of Siena. The city was named after Senius.
According to some accounts, the brothers were protected by the gods on their flight by being wrapped in a white cloud during the day and a dark cloud at night. It is also reported that the brothers stole the statue of the Capitoline Wolf from the Temple of Apollo in Rome.
The Porta Camollia in the city walls of Siena was named after an envoy or soldier who was supposed to lure the brothers back to Rome, but instead chose to stay in the city of Siena.
An important meaning of this founding legend is that it gave the city of Siena an elegant and traditional history, similar to what the founding myth of Romulus and Remus also did for Rome. This was particularly important in the context of the rivalries between the many Italian city-states in the early modern period .
Comments and individual evidence
- ^ Carrie E. Benes: Urban legends: Civic identity and the classical past in northern Italy, 1250-1350. Pennsylvania State University Press, University Park 2011, ISBN 978-0-271-03765-3 , pp. 89-90 ( books.google.de ).
- ^ John T. Paoletti, Gary M. Radke: Siena: City of the Virgin. In: Art in Renaissance Italy. Laurence King Publishing, London 2005, ISBN 1-85669-439-9 , p. 99 ( books.google.de ).