--- title: Map of the Voyage of Aeneas and the Mythic Origins of Rome: Legend, Memory, and Imperial Identity from Troy to Italy author: Simeon Netchev source: https://www.worldhistory.org/image/16056/map-of-the-voyage-of-aeneas-and-the-mythic-origins/ format: machine-readable-alternate license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0) updated: 2026-01-06 --- # Map of the Voyage of Aeneas and the Mythic Origins of Rome: Legend, Memory, and Imperial Identity from Troy to Italy _Authored by [Simeon Netchev](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/simeonnetchev/)_ ## Image File [![Map of the Voyage of Aeneas and the Mythic Origins of Rome: Legend, Memory, and Imperial Identity from Troy to Italy](https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/images/16056.png)](https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/images/16056.png) ## Image Caption The voyage of [Aeneas](https://www.worldhistory.org/Aeneas/), the Trojan prince and hero of [The Aeneid](https://www.worldhistory.org/The_Aeneid/), belongs to [Rome](https://www.worldhistory.org/Rome/)’s foundational myth-making rather than historical record. Composed by [Virgil](https://www.worldhistory.org/virgil/) between 29–19 BCE, during the reign of [Augustus](https://www.worldhistory.org/augustus/) (reign 27 BCE–14 CE), the epic reimagines events traditionally placed after the fall of [Troy](https://www.worldhistory.org/troy/) (c. 12th century BCE). Through Aeneas, the poem forges a mythic bridge between the heroic age of [Greece](https://www.worldhistory.org/greece/) and the political present of Rome, presenting [Roman](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Roman/) origins as divinely sanctioned, inevitable, and rooted in endurance after catastrophe. Aeneas’s [Mediterranean](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/mediterranean/) wanderings, from the eastern [Aegean](https://www.worldhistory.org/aegean/) through [Sicily](https://www.worldhistory.org/sicily/) and North [Africa](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/africa/) to [Italy](https://www.worldhistory.org/italy/), echo Homeric models while serving distinctly Roman aims. His abandonment of [Dido](https://www.worldhistory.org/Dido/) of [Carthage](https://www.worldhistory.org/carthage/) provides a mythic prehistory for later Roman–Carthaginian rivalry, while his descent into the Underworld and final wars in Latium emphasize pietas: duty to gods, family, and destiny above personal desire. The marriage to Lavinia, daughter of King Latinus, establishes the ancestral line that would eventually lead to Rome itself. In Augustan Rome, Aeneas’s journey functioned as cultural memory and political allegory, framing imperial rule, sacrifice, and expansion as the fulfillment of a fate long foretold. #### Editorial Review This human-authored image has been reviewed by our editorial team before publication to ensure accuracy, reliability and adherence to academic standards in accordance with our [editorial policy](https://www.worldhistory.org/static/editorial-policy/). ## About the Author Simeon is a freelance visual designer and history educator, passionate about the human stories that shape the past. - [Linkedin Profile](https://www.linkedin.com/in/simeon-netchev/) ## Cite This Work ### APA Netchev, S. (2022, June 21). Map of the Voyage of Aeneas and the Mythic Origins of Rome: Legend, Memory, and Imperial Identity from Troy to Italy. *World History Encyclopedia*. ### Chicago Netchev, Simeon. "Map of the Voyage of Aeneas and the Mythic Origins of Rome: Legend, Memory, and Imperial Identity from Troy to Italy." *World History Encyclopedia*, June 21, 2022. . ### MLA Netchev, Simeon. "Map of the Voyage of Aeneas and the Mythic Origins of Rome: Legend, Memory, and Imperial Identity from Troy to Italy." *World History Encyclopedia*, 21 Jun 2022, . ## License & Copyright Submitted by [Simeon Netchev](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/simeonnetchev/ "User Page: Simeon Netchev"), published on 21 June 2022. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0deed.en). This licence only allows others to download this content and share it with others as long as the author is credited, but they can't change the content in any way or use it commercially. When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.