ASCANIUS

ascanius, in roman legend, the son of aeneas by creusa or lavinia. from livy it would appear that tradition recognized two sons of aeneas called by this name, the one the son of his trojan, the other of his latin wife. according to the usual account, he accompanied his father to italy on his flight from troy. on the death of aeneas, the government of latium was left in the hands of lavinia, ascanius being too young to undertake it. after thirty years he left lavinium, and founded alba longa. ascanius was also called ilus and iulus, and the julian gens claimed to be descended from him. several more or less contradictory traditions may be found in dionysius of halicarnassus, strabo and other writers. virg. _aen_. ii. 666; livy i. 3; see also klausen. _aeneas und die penaten_ (1840).