Future Cities - Mark Morris - pt 1 An Auspicious Occasion: Rome is for the Birds Abstract An Auspicious Occasion: Rome is for the Birds Here, take this and do what your birds have predicted would be possible. -- Livy The question of future cities is a breed of speculative planning which might also be considered a form of urban divination. How has the process of envisioning cities of the future been treated historically? What would be the clearest precedent for a wildly successful future city scheme that included considerations for defense, sustainability, water management, multiculturalism and formal configuration? Answer: Rome, 753 BCE. This presentation will trace the mythical founding of Rome, following multiple representations of the city-founding quarrel leading to fratricide and the central role of augury used to determine the site of the future capital of the empire. The talk will begin by recalling the narrative of Romulus and Remus, wild children raised (and famousl! y suckled) by a she-wolf, who grow up to face off in selecting which hill, the Palatine versus Aventine, their future city will be built upon through a contest decided by augury, interpreting divine approval through studying the behavior of live birds over the two proposed sites where Romulus and Remus respectively hold vigil. The appearance of select species, the number of birds and their flight patterns all contribute to Romulus' win. Their murderous argument only occurs after the planning of Rome is ...
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