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Eusebius: Chronica
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Click to Expand/Collapse OptionIntroduction
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionChaldeans
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From the seventh book of Diodorus, about the ancient origins of the Romans 
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Some historians have mistakenly supposed that Romulus [and Remus], who founded the city of Rome, were the sons of the daughter of Aeneias.  But this is not true, because there were many kings in the period between Aeneias and Romulus.  The foundation of Rome happened in the second year of the 7th Olympiad [751 B.C.], which was 433 years after the Trojan War.  Aeneias became king of the Latins three years after the capture of Troy; and after ruling for three years, he disappeared from the sight of men, and was honoured as an immortal.  - He was succeeded as king by his son Ascanius, who founded the city of Alba Longa; this city was named (285) after the river that flowed beside it, which was then called Alba, but is now called Tiber. 
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The Roman historian Fabius tells a different story about the name of this city.  He says that it was foretold to Aeneias, that a four-footed animal would lead him to the site of the city.  When he was preparing to sacrifice a pregnant white sow, the sow escaped from his grasp and was chased up a hill, where she gave birth to thirty piglets.  Aeneias was amazed by this omen, and in accordance with the prophecy, he attempted to build on the site.  But he was warned in a dream, that he should not found the city until thirty years had passed, the same number as the piglets which were born to the sow; and so he gave up the attempt. 
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After the death of Aeneias, his son Ascanius became king and after thirty years he founded a settlement on the hill, which he called Alba, after the colour of the sow; for the Latin word for 'white' is alba.  Ascanius also added another name, Longa, which translated means 'long', because the city was narrow in width and stretched for a long way. 
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And [Diodorus] goes on to say that that Ascanius made Alba the capital of his kingdom and subdued no small number of the inhabitants round about; he became a famous man and died after a reign of thirty-eight years.  At the end of this period, there arose a division among the people, on account of two men who were contending with each other for the throne.  For Julius, since he was the son of Ascanius, maintained that his father's kingdom belonged to him.  But Silvius, the brother of Ascanius and, furthermore, a son of Aeneias by Lavinia, the daughter of Latinus (whereas Ascanius was a son of Aeneias by his first wife, who was a Trojan woman), maintained that the kingdom belonged to him.  Indeed, after the death of Aeneias, Ascanius had plotted against the life of Silvius; and it was while the latter as a child was being reared by some herdsmen on a mountain, to avoid this plot, that he came to be called Silvius, after the name of the (?) mountain, which the Latins call Silva.  In the struggle between the two groups, Silvius finally received the support of the people and gained the throne.  - However Julius, although he did not acquire the supreme power, was made pontifex maximus and became a kind of second king; (287) he was the ancestor, so we are told, of the Julian family, which survives in Rome even to this day. 
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Silvius achieved nothing worthy of mention in his reign, and died after ruling for 49 years.  He was succeeded as king by his son Aeneias Silvius, who ruled for more than 30 years.  He was a strong ruler, in government and in war.  He subdued the neighbouring regions, and founded the eighteen ancient cities of the Latins, which were: Tibur, Praeneste, Gabii, Tusculum, Cora, Cometia, Lanuvium, Labicum, Scaptia, Satricum, Aricia, Tellenae, Crustumerium, Caenina, Fregellae, Cameria, Medullia, and Boilum (which some writers call Bola). 
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When Latinus died, his son Alba Silvius was chosen to be king, and he ruled for 38 years. 
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The next king was Epitus (?) Silvius, for 26 years. 
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When he died, Capis was appointed king, and he ruled for 28 years. 
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His son Calpetus was the next king, and ruled for 13 years. 
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Then Tiberius Silvius ruled for 8 years. 
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When this king was crossing the river Alba with an army, to fight against the Etruscans, he fell into a whirlpool and died.  As a result, the name of the river was changed to Tiber. 
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After the death [of Tiberius], Agrippa became king of the Latins, for 41 years. 
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The next king was Arramulius Silvius, who reigned for 19 years.  They say that Arramulius was arrogant throughout his life, and became so proud that he claimed to rival the power of Jupiter.  - When there were continual heavy thunderstorms during autumn time, he ordered all the men in his army (289) at a given command to strike their swords against their shields, supposing that by this noise he could surpass even thunder.  Therefore he was killed by a bolt of lightning, and paid the penalty for his arrogance towards the gods.  His whole house was swallowed up by the Alban lake.  The Romans who live near the lake today still point out the remains of the royal palace under the lake: some columns which can be seen deep beneath the surface of the water. 
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Aventius was chosen to be the next king, and he ruled for 37 years.  During a battle against the people who lived around the city, he was trapped in a confined space and killed near a hill, which from his name was called the Aventine hill.  After he died, his son Procas Silvius was appointed to be the next king, and ruled for 23 years.  After his death, his younger son Amulius seized the throne by force, while his elder brother Numitor was away in a distant country.  Amulius reigned for a little over 43 years, and was killed by Remus and Romulus, who founded the city of Rome. 
 
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