A path for schools · ages 12-14
The Aeneid in 8 Cards
Virgil tells of the journey of the Trojan Aeneas to Lazio, where the family line begins that will lead to Romulus and Remus. It is the poem of the origins of Rome, and many of its stops are in Italy: Cumae, Lake Avernus, Lazio.
AeneasheroAeneas was a Trojan prince, the son of the goddess Venus.
Venusgoddess of loveVenus was the goddess of love and beauty, the same goddess the Greeks called Aphrodite.
Jupiterking of the godsJupiter was the king of the Roman gods, the lord of the sky, of light and of the thunderbolt.
Heraqueen of the godsHera is the wife of Zeus and the queen of Olympus, protector of marriage and of families.
The Cumaean SibylprophetessAt Cumae, on the coast near Naples, lived the Sibyl, the prophetess of Apollo.
Cerberusguard dogCerberus is the gigantic dog that guards the entrance to the kingdom of Hades.
Romulus and RemusfoundersRomulus and Remus were twins, the sons of the god Mars and of Rhea Silvia.
The Lares and Penateshousehold spiritsIn every Roman home there was a small altar, the lararium, where the family's gods lived.
Questions for the class
- What does Aeneas take with him when he flees from Troy? Why is it important?
- What happens at Cumae? Find it on the map.
- What is the difference between Odysseus and Aeneas? One goes back home, the other...
An activity
Using the cards in the trail, build a timeline from the fall of Troy to the founding of Rome.
Who's behind this
Ciro Simone Irmici
I build websites, apps and games. I built the Atlas with artificial intelligence and I check every card and every source myself. I am not a scholar of mythology: I tell these legends with respect and always say where they come from. If you know a legend from your town, write to me.
More of my work: free audiobooks on YouTube · ebooks on Gumroad · Apple Books · music on Spotify and YouTube Music