Bravery, strength, and leadership are just some of the characteristics that Theseus of Greece and Romulus of Rome possess. Plutarch, Greek historian, explains the lives of each of these men. These men were different from all other men in ancient Greece and Rome; according to Plutarch, they were descended from the divine, which ultimately destined them for greatness. Throughout their lives, they would rise to power through various events and establish the societies and politics of two of the greatest cities in history. The paths they took and the events that happened in their lives made them heroes while contributing to the legacy they would leave behind. Monarchs ruled Athens before Theseus' life. To keep the monarchy under control and maintain the authority of the current ruler, an heir had to be born. Conflict between the current leader and those who wanted to take his place was always inevitable. In the writings of Plutarch, Theseus was born to the king of Athens, Aegeus, and Aethra, the daughter of the wise Pittheus. After Aegeus met Aethra, he left shoes and a sword under a rock so that if he produced an heir, he would return to Athens to be at his father's side. Aegeus knew that if he produced an heir, he must keep the child a secret so that his enemies, the fifty sons of Palla, would not kill the child. When Aethra's son was born, his father claimed that little Theseus' father was the sea god Poseidon, hiding the secret of the true father. Additionally, it is possible that Poseidon was considered the boy's father, as this could enhance the boy's reputation as he grew up. As Athens prepared to meet a young man who would change its city, Plutarch...... middle of paper ... did not care about the death of Theseus until the Battle of Marathon, where the men claimed to see Theseus charging the army to victory. By order of the Oracle of Delphi, Theseus' bones were found on Scyros and brought back to be buried in Athens. Theseus' bones were buried in an area where his memory as a protector of the weak flourished. Plutarch paired Theseus and Romulus together because they were both men of divine ancestry who showed bravery and did whatever it took for their cities to thrive. They both had their flaws, such as Romulus ruling as king and killing his brother, while Theseus had trouble kidnapping women who prevented him from ruling Athens properly. From the readings, there are no clear passages of favoritism on Plutarch's part because no man was truly better than another. They were just men who rose from bastard children to legends of ancient history..