Varro and the Romulean Tribes

It is often maintained that Varro dispensed with the usual explanations for the Tities, Ramnes, and Luceres—the so-called Romulean tribes—and simply made all three Etruscan. This view is inconsistent with the evidence. Varro was clearly developing a case of his own about the foundation of Rome, the early citizen populace, and the granting of citizenship. All the evidence can be accounted for very easily, if it is supposed that he had the tribes created when Rome was founded, but named only later in Romulus’ reign, following the war with the Sabines and the enrollment of new citizens.