Source edition
Plutarch. Plutarch's Lives, Vol. I. Perrin, Bernadotte, editor. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann Ltd., 1914.
Source data
Perseus Digital Library · CC BY-SA 4.0
Cloned and adapted by Humanitext, with ongoing edits.
Summary
This biography depicts the life and great reign of Numa Pompilius, the second king of Rome. Following the sudden disappearance of the founder Romulus and the subsequent political instability, Numa, a wise Sabine philosopher, is reluctantly chosen and persuaded by the citizens to accept the crown. Eschewing military rule, Numa seeks to temper the warlike spirit of the early Romans by instilling piety through religious rituals and legal reforms. He establishes various priesthoods, including the Pontifex and the Vestal Virgins, reforms the calendar, and reorganizes the citizens into trade guilds to dissolve tribal rivalries. Throughout his long reign, the gates of the Temple of Janus remain completely closed, bringing a miraculous peace to the entire region of Italy. The narrative concludes with Numa's peaceful death in his old age, his grand funeral, and the legacy of his writings, emphasizing his extraordinary piety and wisdom.