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Romulus and Remus placed in the river

Romulus and Remus, Osiris and Moses: Are the Storytelling Similarities a Mere Coincidence?

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The stories of Romulus and Remus, Osiris, and Moses all share a common element. Why is it that the overarching theme surrounding ancient people and the start of their legacy is a male floating down the river to escape harm from another threatening male? Is it a coincidence that the leaders of these people were all sent down river to escape persecution; or are these stories all virtually the same? This article examines the stories of the founding of ancient Rome, ancient Egypt, and ancient Israel to see the similarities between all three stories.

The Story of Romulus and Remus

In the Romulus and Remus story, the twin brother founders of ancient Rome are sent down the Tiber river in a basket by their mother Princess Rhea to escape persecution from King Amulius, who had dethroned Princess Rhea’s father, Numitor. They are found by a female wolf that raises them as her own.

The Story of Osiris

In the story of Osiris , he and his wife, Isis, are beloved leaders of the Egyptian people. Osiris’s brother, Seth, is envious of him and devises a plan to get rid of his famous brother. He builds a floating vessel and tricks his brother into getting into the vessel, after which he locks him in it and sends him down the river Nile. His floating vessel is then found by the Queen.

Osiris and Isis held at the Louvre Museum. (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Osiris and Isis held at the Louvre Museum. (CC BY-SA 2.0)

The Story of Moses

In the story of Moses , his mother fears for his life because the current Pharaoh has put out an edict to kill all of the male babies within the kingdom by throwing them in the river to drown. She sends him down the Nile River in a basket and ironically Pharaoh’s daughter discovers him and raises him as her own, along with the help of Moses’s, mother whom Moses’s sister Miriam introduces to the princess as a nurse.

Moses in the Bulrushes. (Image: Archivist / Fotolia)

Moses in the Bulrushes. (Archivist / Fotolia)

Comparison of the Three Stories

Except for a few details, the beginnings of these stories are identical. There is a villain that is a menacing threat to the male and, in some way, they are sent down the river. Waiting at the banks of the river is a female, who retrieves them from the river. However, this is where the similarities end.

Romulus and Remus eventually become men, who then feud over the towns they should build. Romulus kills Remus and then Rome is established by him. Moses eventually becomes a man and he leads his people out of Egyptian slavery to freedom in their own homeland. Osiris is found by Seth and cut into pieces and disbursed throughout Egypt. Isis finds his body parts and resurrects him long enough to conceive a son named Horus, who avenges his uncle Seth.

Myth of Osiris and Isis – Seth’s Rage. (Zanten / Deviantart)

Myth of Osiris and Isis – Seth’s Rage. (Zanten / Deviantart)

Despite the fact that each tale ends very differently, there are very similar details disbursed throughout all three of them. Romulus and Remus’s tale is similar to Moses’s tale because a female rescues them and raises them. However, the significant difference between the two tales is that one female is a wolf and the other is the daughter of the Pharaoh. In the case of Osiris’s tale, he is rescued from the water by a woman also, but she doesn’t rear him; instead, she hands his body over to Isis.

Then there is the feuding brother aspect that is included in the Romulus and Remus tale and Osiris and Seth tale. Romulus and Remus’s feud arises when they are adults - deciding who should lead. Osiris and Seth’s feud also occurs as they are adults, but it is because Seth is envious of Osiris’s leadership.

One last but crucial similarity is how they all get down the river. Romulus and Remus float in a basket; Moses floats in a basket-like ark; and Osiris floats in what is described as a tomb. The unifying factor among the three stories is significant and there seems to be elements of all three that overlap in each

Left; She-Wolf Suckling Romulus and Remus, detail (Public Domain) Right; Moses in the Bulrushes. (Image: Archivist / Fotolia)

Left: She-Wolf Suckling Romulus and Remus, detail (Public Domain) Right: Moses in the Bulrushes. (Archivist / Fotolia)

Exploration of Possible Reasons for the Stories’ Similarities

Why are these seemingly different tales so strikingly similar?

       1. These stories were authored by the same individual.

Could it be that these beloved stories were all written by the same person in ancient times? The Roman scribes would have known this story because the Romans had a lot of contact with the Egyptians. Likewise, the Children of Israel were enslaved by the Egyptians at one point in their history; therefore, this story would have been well-known by them and passed down to them by their captors. It is plausible that the person who originally created the Osiris story is who originally developed this tale.

       2. Each ancient nation had a version of this same story.

Just about every ancient nation has creation stories that share similarities. The ancient scholars likely competed to create one more fascinating myth than predecessors in order to be more fabulous than other contemporaneous nations.

       3. The stories are lost in translation.

Another explanation could be that these stories could have begun as very different in ancient times. However, these tales may have been lost in translation by the translators.

In an effort to make sure that the story was understood by readers, translators may have relied too heavily on myths within their own timeframe and understanding in order to relay the stories of the past. As a result, these stories, although distinct, may have been corrupted by the translator.

Are the stories of Romulus and Remus, Osiris, and Moses truly unique in their origins or did they all come from the same source? Perhaps this will remain an ancient mystery.

Top image: The stories of Romulus and Remus, Osiris, and Moses all have at least one male floating down a river. Source: vectorgoddess /Adobe Stock

By M. L. Childs

Updated on September 15, 2020.

References

Theodore Ziolkowski.  Uses and Abuses of Moses. https://www3.nd.edu/~undpress/excerpts/P03235-ex.pdf

The Subversion of Myth.  https://forward.com/articles/9812/the-subversion-of-myth /

Brown, Nathan.  The Mythology of Supernatural: The Signs and Symbols Behind the Popular TV Show [Excerpt]  Google Books

Falcetta, Alessandro. The Daily Discoveries of a Bible Scholar and Manuscript Hunter. [Excerpt] Google Books.

Namm, Diane.  Roman Myths:  Retold from the Classic Originals. New York:  Sterling Children’s Books, 2014.

Baby Moses. Moody Bible Story.  Youtube Video.

The Story of Isis and Osiris. Shemsuofisis. Youtube Video.

 

Comments

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Γνῶθι σεαυτόν

Hi M.L. Childs,

This is an interesting article to read about thanks for sharing it. Certainly gives me moments of pause stop and reflect.

I've been a Christian since I was a child therefore my perspective of the World is seen through the lens of a Believer.
I hadn't heard of Romulus & Remus or Orisis and Seth till High School I dismissed both stories for the reason they were Myths and in Exodus Chapter 20 and then Deuteronomy chapter 5.

Where one reads of the Ten Commandments Thou Shalt Not Have Any other gods Before Me and Thou Shalt Not Make unto thee any Graven image; neither what is in the Air, what is on the Land, What is in the Sea Ye Shalt Not Bow before them.

I was 4 and remember being read to by my mom from The Bible how Moses asked of God to see him and God told Him No Man or Animal may look upon My Face an Live but, I will put My Hand over your Eyes as I pass by You and then you can see my Back parts as I leave.

The Father did exactly that to Moses now I'm an Audio and Visual Learner but, when that was read to me and I was 4, years old I took on all 3 learning Styles Audio, Kinestic, and Visual it was like The Hand of God was over My Eyes. We Believers can be quite emotional when it comes to The Biblical Testimonies in The Bible.

My approach to the duel stories of Romulus & Remus/Osiris and Seth is how it relates to the things taught in The Bible so here's how I came to certain conclusions about these four pair of drastically different brother's.

I Used to think that the Osiris & Seth storyline was about Cain and Abel, then I remembered that Abel died without ever being married so then I just put the story down to the pleasant category of Myth.

I first heard of the story about Romulus and Remus; I believe I mentioned in High School so I was like okay, this is definitely Cain & Abel accept for the fact that Cain, murdered Abel because God accepted his brothers Sacrifice and not Cain's sacrifice.

Besides which Seth was born to replace Abel as Eve said it best whom Cain killed and much like Abel, Seth was righteous before God's Eyes.

So that wasn't a battle about how to run a newly founded City; that killing by Cain's hand of his own brother Abel was because Abel adhere to the principles and precepts set forth by God to their parents Adam and Eve all the way back in Eden.

Cain's stance was to do whatever he wanted to do including How He Chose to worship God. Abel's senseless killing is an example of dying for one's beliefs for God's Truths not man's.

As for Moses I believed the testimony no questions asked.

God foretells Moses and His Peoples Fore-Father Abraham about what will happened to His Ancestors in the future how they would be Cruelly Oppressed but God Promise Abraham that He will deliver them from their Oppressors.

Turns out as we read in Exodus that it was Egypt who oppressed The Children of Israel.

Upon The Advent of Exodus with Moses anointed by God to lead His People to The Promise Land ( The Land of The Canaanites), 630 years later the prophecy and God's Promise to Abraham is full-filled. All 600, 000 gather at Mt. Sinai to re-affirm The Covenant and to receive The Commandments of God.

Recently I have been reading the Cast Out Bible Books of Enoch and now with what I'm slowly learning from these Sacred Text, I'm no longer sure that Romulus/Remus or Osiris and Seth is a myth, because of what I'm reading from Enoch's Book's.

Where the Bible is concerned this has left me way out of my comfort zone of what I thought I knew about The Bible or any of those stories that are considered Myths.

I hope I haven't confused anyone with what I've shared regarding what I think about Osiris and Seth, Romulus& Remus, of course Moses too.

There’s a far better and more spectacular explanation:

They are initiation stories; AS ARE THE FLOOD STORIES!!! And they are all remnants of Shamanic Awakening-stories!

So… If you want to know what was the big secret that was taught in the mystery schools……...

Read!!!  'The Magic of Moses and Jesus; a unification theory on religion, spirituality and magic - because in the end it’s all just physiology and physics…'

“This is the 'Dan Brown' you were always looking for. This is the real thing!”

Not for the the faint of heart! (...)

https://www.academia.edu/44065870/The_Magic_of_Moses_and_Jesus
https://www.scribd.com/document/475657516/The-Magic-of-Moses-and-Jesus-F...

Γνῶθι σεαυτόν

Tor Ø. Westbye's picture

Sargon of Akkad has basically the same origin-myth. Check it out for yourselves. 

ML Childs's picture

Mel

Mel Childs was born in St. Louis, Missouri but now resides in a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia.  She moved to Georgia to attend college at Spelman College and loved it so much that she decided to call Georgia home.  At... Read More

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