The Command of Hersilia

Legends state that Hersilia leader of the Sabine Women, was responsible for founding the original Roman Empire... not by violence, but by intelligence, quick wit, compassion, and above all Love. Such a claim may seem hard to believe given the propensity toward violence and selfishness mankind had during times of limited resources. But consider the myths:
Hersilia's future husband, the hard working Romulus, was said to have built Rome by the sweat of his brow, (along with a large team of workmen in his employ). Logistically and militarily and politically, he built a city that could stand the test of time, except for one fatal flaw. Like many men in many cultures, Romulus had underestimated the importance of women. His city had an overwhelmingly male population, which could stand only a generation before the ravages of age rendered it impotent militarily as well as biologically.
The Roman Senate, again mostly men at the time (according to the legend) voted for all unwed Roman men to woo, bribe, or in any way possible gather brides from the surrounding lands to build and maintain households that they not remain bachelors in barracks. They settled upon a publicity stunt, a clever festival of games to attract people from the nearby towns, the Festival of Neptunus Equestris, (the god of the sea on horseback, which made more sense at the time, but history is cruel to many idioms which do not age well) and at first it seemed successful. People of means visited from far around to play games and spectate. Roman bachelors made romantic advances to every eligible bachelorette, but many found their charms were not enough.
One day, in frustration, as many of the neighboring Sabines (a very desirable people) were visiting the fair, Romulus led the bachelors to kidnap by force the Sabine Maidens and fight the shocked Sabine men into a retreat. The Romans brought the Sabine women before the Roman Senate where they were offered great riches and political rights if they were willing to take the Roman bachelors as their husbands. They would have all the civil rights and liberties of Roman "Freemen" including the right to own husbands and slaves, to run their households as they saw fit, and to bestow all such rights onto their descendants as well. A total of 30 women accepted this offer, including Hersilia, the only non-virgin among them, who took Romulus as her new primary husband, sealing the legal deal with the Senate for all the Sabine women. The others were free to make their own ways in the world, and few or none of the Sabine Women returned home to spread word of their fate.
Hersilia's father, Titus Tatius, leader of the Sabine military, a more patriarchal culture, expected much less of the Roman abductors, thinking the women were kept by force, in slavery. Taking a few years to build up to readiness for revenge, Tatius led his troops to attack Rome.
And another epic battle began... based on a misunderstanding.
Romulus versus Tatius.
Epic.
But to the Sabine Women, it was quite different, this was a battle between their distant fathers and their local husbands.
Hersilia led the unarmed and unarmored women (some according to the legend holding their children, half Roman and half Sabine) into the center of the battlefield, imploring their fathers and husbands to lay down their arms rather than leave their children or grandchildren without a father or husband. Even more powerfully, the women held their ground, leaving the opposing armies no ability to attack their enemy without harming their intervening family members. Hersilia shouted an outright order to her husband and her father to set down their weapons and realize that they were now family, (with her as their matriarch). Both armies were to unite under her wise rulership and accept all the fertility and bounty of peace.

Intervention of the Sabine Women by Jacques-Louis David

Both, upon realizing her logic, wisdom, short-term tactics, and long-term strategy, had to admit that her words and her gambit was well beyond any strategy that either of the male leaders would ever have imagined, and infinitely more profitable.

Type

Decree, Religious