View source for Numitor

{{Short description|Grandfather of the founders of Rome in Roman Mythology}}
{{About|the Roman mythological king|the ship|USS Numitor}}
[[File:Numitor from Nuremberg chronicles.png|thumb|271x271px|Numitor from Nuremberg chronicles]]
In [[Roman mythology]], King '''Numitor''' ({{IPA|la-x-classic|ˈnʊmɪtɔr|lang|link=yes}}) of [[Alba Longa]] was the maternal grandfather of Rome's founder and first king, [[Romulus]], and his twin brother [[Romulus and Remus|Remus]]. He was the son of [[Procas]], descendant of [[Aeneas]] the [[Troy|Trojan]], and father of the twins' mother, [[Rhea Silvia]], and [[Lausus (son of Numitor)|Lausus]].<ref>[[Ovid]] ''[https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Ov.%20Fast.%204.55&lang=original Fasti IV]''</ref>{{ref|a|a}}

In 794 BC<ref>[[Dionysius of Halicarnassus]] ''Roman Antiquities'' 71.4</ref> Procas died and was meant to be succeeded by Numitor. Instead he was overthrown and removed from the kingdom by his brother, [[Amulius]], who had no respect for his father's will or his brother's seniority.<ref name="Livy"/> Amulius also murdered Numitor's sons, in an effort to remove power from his brother for himself.<ref name="Livy">[[Livy]] I.3.10</ref>

Rhea Silvia was made a [[Vestal Virgin]] by Amulius, rendering her unable to have children on pain of death; however, according to myth, she was forcibly impregnated by the god [[Mars (mythology)|Mars]].<ref>[[Livy]] I.4.2</ref> Romulus and Remus [[Battle of Alba Longa|overthrew Amulius]] and reinstated Numitor as [[Latin kings of Alba Longa|king]] in 752 BC.<ref>Dionysius of Halicarnassus ''Roman Antiquities'' 71.5</ref>

==Family tree==
{{Latin kings of Alba Longa family tree|chart-top=true}}

==See also==
*''[[Aeneid]]''
*[[The Golden Bough (mythology)]]

==Notes==
{{Note|a||Ovid names his children as Lausus and ''[[Rhea Silvia|Ilia]]''<ref>[[Ovid]] ''Fasti'' IV.54</ref> whereas Livy says Amulius had his ''two'' sons killed.<ref>[[Livy]] ''Roman History'' I.3.10</ref>}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{s-start | noclear = true }}
{{s-reg | leg }}
{{s-bef | before = [[Procas]] }}
{{s-ttl | title  = [[Latin kings of Alba Longa|King of Alba Longa]] | years = first reign }}
{{s-aft | after  = [[Amulius]] }}
{{s-bef | before = [[Amulius]] }}
{{s-ttl | title  = King of Alba Longa | years = second reign }}
{{s-aft | after  = [[Romulus]] }}
{{s-end}}

[[Category:Kings of Alba Longa]]

{{AncientRome-myth-stub}}
[[Category:Characters in Book VI of the Aeneid]]