Capitoline Wolf Statue

When the original Capitoline Wolf statue was created is unknown. For a long time it was believed to have created in the 5th century B.C. by the Etruscans, the ancient civilization that predated the Romans. However, in recent years scholars now think the wolf part of the statue dates to the 11th or 12th century C.E. and that the boys were added a few hundred years later. In the 1920s and 1930s, Benito Mussolini sent copies to several countries around the world including the United States.

The story of how a copy ended up here in Rome, Georgia is a little unclear. In fact, it appears that Mussolini was not directly involved at all. Instead, it seems that an Italian textile company called the Tubize Chatillon Corporation, which used the wolf as its trademark, sent the statue to Rome when a branch opened in the 1920s. The company intended it to be displayed at the mill. However, the managers of the mill did not want it; they believed it wasn't appropriate and put it in storage, hoping to send it back. The cost of doing so was too expensive and the statue remained. To remedy the situation, the mill placed the statue atop a marble base and claimed to local officials that Mussolini sent it to the city as a gift.

It should be noted that one source (Georgia's Rome Office of Tourism; see below) presents a different account of what happened. It states that the Italian company in fact relocated to Rome in 1929 and its name was Chatillion Corporation Silk Mills. They stored the statue in New York City and contacted the Roman consulate asking permission to give the statue as a gift to Rome. The consulate agreed and the statue was then sent to the company's new city.

Rome's reception of the statue was mixed. Some, as noted above, thought it was immodest. At times, diapers were put on the boys during elections or public events. Others considered the statue as a work of art. To everyone's shock, in 1933 someone stole one of the boys from the statue; it was never recovered and the perpetrator never caught. Fortunately, a replacement was eventually sent from Italy. During World War II, it was put into storage. Locals had threatened to destroy it as anti-Italian sentiment was running high at the time. It remained in storage for 12 years before it was restored and placed in front of City Hall once more. On July 16, 1996, the Olympic Torch passed next to City Hall as it was carried towards Atlanta.

"Capitoline Wolf." Georgia's Rome Office of Tourism. Accessed December 14, 2020. https://romegeorgia.org/attraction/capitoline-wolf.

Laskow, Sarah. "Neither Rome, GA, Nor Rome, NY, Could Handle a Statue with Wolf Teats." Atlas Obscura. October 16, 2015. https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/neither-rome-ga-nor-rome-ny-could-handle-a-statue-with-wolf-teats.

"Rome City Hall and Capitoline Wolf." Explore Georgia. Accessed December 14, 2020. https://www.exploregeorgia.org/rome/general/historic-sites-trails-tours/rome-city-hall-and-capitoline-wolf.