The origin of Rome and the composition of its people are worthy of remark. They
explain the particular character of its policy, and the exceptional part that fell to it
from the beginning in the midst of other cities. The Roman race was strangely mixed.
The principal element was Latin, and originally from Alba; but these Albans
themselves, according to traditions which no criticism authorizes us to reject, were
composed of two associated, but not confounded, populations. One was the
aboriginal race, real Latins. The other was of foreign origin, and was said to have
come from Troy with Aeneas, the priest-founder; it was, to all appearance, not
numerous, but was influential from the worship and the institutions which it had
brought with it.
These Albans, a mixture of two races, founded Rome on a spot where another city
had already been built ? Pallantium, founded by the Greeks. Now, the population
of Pallantium remained in the new city, and the rites of the Greek worship were
preserved there. There was also, where the Capitol afterwards stood, a city which
was said to have been founded by Hercules, the families of which remained distinct
from the rest of the Roman population during the entire continuance of the
republic.
Thus at Rome all races were associated and mingled; there were Latins, Trojans,
and Greeks; there were, a little later, Sabines, and Etruscans. Of the several hills, the
Palatine was the Latin city, after having been the city of Evander. The Capitoline,
after having been the dwelling-place of the companions of Hercules, became the
home of the Sabines of Tatius. The Quirinal received its name from the Sabine
Quirites, or from the Sabine god Quirinus. The Coelian hill appears to have been
inhabited from the beginning by Etruscans. Rome did not seem to be a single city;
it appeared like a confederation of several cities, each one of which was attached by
its origin to another confederation. It was the centre where the Latins, Etruscans,
Sabellians, and Greeks met.
Numa Denis Fustel de Coulanges, The Ancient City, 311
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