According to Roman legend, the city of Rome was founded on April 21, 753 BC, by twin brothers Romulus and Remus, who had been raised by a she-wolf. After a dispute over where to build the city, Romulus killed Remus and became the first king of Rome. While archaeologists find evidence of settlement on the Palatine Hill dating back to this era, the legendary founding serves as the 'Ab Urbe Condita' (from the founding of the city) year for the Roman calendar. From its humble beginnings as a small village on the Tiber River, Rome evolved into a republic and then a vast empire that dominated the Mediterranean for centuries. The event represents the birth of a civilization whose laws, language (Latin), architecture, and political systems would form the bedrock of Western society. The story of Romulus and Remus remains a central myth of Roman identity.