Is the wolf really so important for Rome?

The Lupa capitolina is a great metaphor for the role of the wolf in Roman mythology: If you look carefully you'll see a big mismatch in style between the babies underneath (intended for Romulus and Remus, as other answers note) and the wolf. read more

The wolf was important as the twins Romulus and Remus where suckled by the she-wolf Lupa after they were dumped in the Tiber. So the Romans believed they owed their entire existence to a wolf. However another important animal was the eagle which was the standard for all their legions. read more

The wolf is important in the story of Rome's founding. Basically there was a priestesses, one of the first vestal virgins, but she got pregnant, and claimed the father was Mars. The king, her brother, ordered her buried alive, as was the punishment. read more

The Capitoline Wolf (Italian: Lupa Capitolina) is a bronze sculpture of the mythical she-wolf suckling the twins, Romulus and Remus, from the legend of the founding of Rome. When Numitor, grandfather of the twins, was overthrown by his brother Amulius, the usurper ordered them to be cast into the Tiber River. read more