Sculpture "The Abduction of Bibble Girls"

Facsimile of the statue of Giambologna, 1583 "The Abduction of the Sabine Women", Loggia Lanzi, Florence.

According to Roman historians, Rome was inhabited only by men; neighboring tribes did not want to marry their daughters to the poor population of Rome. Then Romulus arranged a feast of consuals and invited the neighbors. They came with their families. During the festival, the Romans suddenly rushed at the unarmed and kidnapped their girls.

Outraged neighbors started a war. The Romans defeated the Latins who attacked Rome. The war with the Sabines was much more difficult, because they lost a lot of women. With the help of the daughter of the head of the Capitol fortress, Tarpei, the Sabines took possession of the Capitol. The struggle went on for a very long time. The Sabines, under the command of King Titus, finally defeated the Romans and turned them into flight. Romulus appealed to the gods and promised to build a temple to Jupiter Stator if he stopped the fleeing. At this decisive moment, the Sabine women, already attached to their Roman husbands and having children from them, with their hair loose and in torn robes, rushed between the fighters and began to beg them to stop the battle.

The Sabines agreed, and eternal peace was concluded, in which the two peoples were united into one state under the supreme leadership of Titus Tatius and Romulus. The Romans had to wear, in addition to their name, the Sabine name - quirites. Religion became common.

Thus the women saved Rome. In memory of this, Romulus established the feast of Maturnalia and gave women many honorary rights.