Creation of a New Roman Identity: Encounters, Conflicts, and the Establishment of Multicultural Order in Virgil’s Aeneid

Authors

• Caleb Butler, Connecticut CollegeFollow

Document Type

Honors Paper

Advisor

Darryl Phillips

Publication Date

2026

Abstract

Virgil composed the Aeneid at a moment when Roman cultural identity experienced a thorough reevaluation. This thesis argues that the Aeneid does not merely reflect the cultural moment in which it was written but rather presents a model for the formation of this new Roman identity. The second half of the Aeneid centers almost entirely upon the interactions and developing relationships between the different peoples who reside within Latium. It is only through the formation of alliances – built upon equal treaties (foedera) and cultural exchange – that peace is able to be formed between those peoples. The way in which these alliances are formed, however, is not provided solely by Aeneas, the poem’s central figure, but rather by all peoples and communities who interact and come together for the formation of a new complex society, one which includes all cultures equally. Through examining the actions and behaviors of the central figures of the poem, such as Aeneas, Evander, Turnus, and Latinus, this thesis argues that the Aeneid presents a model for the establishment of lasting peace between peoples through the formation of a multicultural state, utilizing both positive and negative examples of cross-cultural interactions.

Recommended Citation

Butler, Caleb, "Creation of a New Roman Identity: Encounters, Conflicts, and the Establishment of Multicultural Order in Virgil’s Aeneid" (2026). Classics Honors Papers. 8.
https://digitalcommons.conncoll.edu/classicshp/8