To begin with we must understand that Livy was not only a historian at the time but also filled the roll of a politician. Livy imparts his political stand point by portraying his disdain for certain characters in a biased recounting of events.
Livy begins his story of ancient Rome by introducing figures that would become the backbone of Rome’s origins: Aeneas, Antenor, Romulus, and Remus. Here is where as a reader may begin filtering the truth, and understand where Livy’s account falls short of factual.
With the introduction of Aeneas and Antenor; whom are presumably remaining survivors of Troy, Livy states that through “fate” they have been spared after all the inhabitants are massacred Aeneas is left unscathed. As if by divine intervention forces unknown leave him alive to assume fate would grant him to become acknowledged as Latin through marriage with King Latinus. Aeneas would later build a town and name it Lavinium after his wife (Livy).
Boatwright informs us as to the inaccuracy of this story and gives us insight as to why many Roman writers kept the story that the ancestor of all Latins was Aeneas. What the story of Aeneas allows us to understand