Plutarch, a Greek writer living under the Roman Empire, composed Parallel Lives: paired biographies of famous Greeks and Romans. This is the life of Numa Pompilius, Rome's second king. Numa was a Sabine, from the hill country just north of the city, chosen after Romulus because the people wanted a founder who would not kill.

Plutarch sets him opposite Lycurgus of Sparta: piety against drill. Numa talked with the nymph Egeria in a grove, built the Temple of Janus, divided the year into months, and taught the pontiffs, Rome's priest-officials, their rites. For forty-three years the gates of war stayed shut. He gave the Vestals, priestesses of a sacred fire, that flame, and keepers for the shields that fell from the sky. When he died, the sacred books were buried with him; later ages dug them up and found a quieter Rome than they could bear.