Capitoline Wolf facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Capitoline Wolf
Artist	Unknown (wolf) Antonio del Pollaiuolo (twins)
Year	Etruscan, 5th century BC or 11th–12th centuries AD (wolf) Late 15th century AD (twins)
Type	Bronze
Dimensions	75 cm × 114 cm (30 in × 45 in)
Location	Musei Capitolini, Rome, Italy

The Capitoline Wolf (in Italian, Lupa Capitolina) is a famous bronze statue. It shows a she-wolf taking care of two baby boys, Romulus and Remus. These twins are important figures in the legend of how the city of Rome was founded.

According to the story, Romulus and Remus were thrown into the Tiber River as babies. A kind she-wolf found them and fed them her milk. Later, a herdsman named Faustulus discovered them and raised them as his own sons. The Capitoline Wolf statue shows this special moment.

For a long time, people thought the wolf part of the statue was very old, made by the Etruscans around 500 BC. The baby twins were added much later, in the late 1400s, probably by an artist named Antonio del Pollaiuolo. However, some recent scientific tests suggest the wolf might be much newer, possibly from the Middle Ages (around 1000-1150 AD). This idea is still being discussed by experts, and many still believe it is ancient.

The image of the she-wolf with Romulus and Remus has been a symbol of Rome for thousands of years. It is one of the most famous symbols from ancient mythology. Since 1471, the statue has been kept in the Palazzo dei Conservatori in Rome, Italy. You can also find many copies of this statue in different places around the world.

What Does the Statue Look Like?

The Capitoline Wolf statue is larger than real life. It stands about 75 centimeters (30 inches) tall and is 114 centimeters (45 inches) long. The wolf looks tense and alert, as if it is watching for danger. Its ears are perked up, and its eyes seem to glare.

The two human twins, Romulus and Remus, are made in a very different style. They look calm and focused only on drinking milk from the wolf. They don't seem to notice anything else around them.

The History of the Capitoline Wolf

It's not completely clear when the Capitoline Wolf statue was first made. Old writings from the Middle Ages mention a "wolf" statue in the Pope's Lateran Palace in Rome. For example, a writer in the 900s described a court of justice being held "in the place called the Wolf." Trials and punishments happened at this "Wolf" location until the year 1438.

An English writer named Magister Gregorius visited Rome in the 1100s. He wrote about a wolf statue near the entrance of the Lateran Palace. He did not mention any twins with the wolf. He thought the wolf might have been part of a fountain, but it was broken and moved.

If the newer dating of the wolf statue is correct (from the Middle Ages), then the current Capitoline Wolf might not be the exact same statue mentioned by these old writers. It could be a replacement for an even older wolf statue that is now lost.

In December 1471, Pope Sixtus IV ordered the wolf statue to be moved to the Palazzo dei Conservatori on the Capitoline Hill. This is where it is today. The baby twins were added to the statue around this time. The Capitoline Wolf became one of the first important artworks in the Capitoline Museums.

The Capitoline Wolf Today: A Symbol of Rome

The Capitoline Wolf is a very strong symbol of Rome and its history. Because of this, the Italian government and the mayors of Rome have given copies of the statue to many cities around the world.

Benito Mussolini, a leader in Italy, especially liked this symbol. He sent several copies of the Capitoline Wolf to cities in the United States to promote friendship. For example, in 1929, a copy was sent to Cincinnati, Ohio. Another copy went to Rome, Georgia, in the same year. A third copy was given to Rome, New York, in 1956. There's even a copy at a university in China where ancient history is studied.

The Capitoline Wolf was also used as a symbol for the 1960 Summer Olympics held in Rome. The Roman football club A.S. Roma also uses the wolf in its team emblem.

You might have seen the wolf on album covers too! It was the logo for a record label called Family Productions. This label released Billy Joel's first album as a solo artist. The wolf logo continued to appear on many of his albums even after he signed with a different company.

The Capitoline Wolf has also appeared in movies and TV shows:

• In the 1964 film The Fall of the Roman Empire, a large copy of the wolf statue is shown in the Roman Senate building.
• The 1976 TV series I, Claudius also features the statue in its scenes of the Senate.
• In the 2009 movie Agora, set in ancient Alexandria, the Capitoline Wolf can be seen in a palace.
• In Rick Riordan's book The Son of Neptune, a wolf named Lupa trains young demigods, including Percy Jackson. She is a tough but caring teacher.
• In the 1964 TV show The Addams Family, a copy of the Capitoline Wolf statue is displayed in their living room.

The Boston Latin School uses an image of the Capitoline Wolf as its official school emblem. In countries like Romania and Moldova, the Capitoline Wolf is a symbol of their Latin heritage. Italy even gave copies of the statue to major cities there in the early 1900s.

The Capitoline Wolf continues to inspire artists today, like in the 2011 art piece Look at Me (new Capitoline Wolf) by Polish artist Paweł Wocial.

Images for kids

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  Capitoline Wolf in Hamilton Gardens, Hamilton, New Zealand

• 

  Capitoline she-wolf in Eden Park, Cincinnati, Ohio

• 

  Capitoline Wolf at Siena Duomo. A legend says Siena was founded by two sons of Remus, who brought the wolf statue with them.

See also

• Capitoline Wolf statues in cities