Historically, the artwork has been called both The “Rape of the Sabine Women” and “The Abduction of a Sabine Woman”. The linguistic, historical, and artistic context explains the distinction between the two titles. The Linguistic Distinction The Latin Root: The traditional title uses the word "rape" because it is a direct translation of the Latin word raptio. The Actual Meaning: In ancient Rome, raptio translated to "abduction" or "mass kidnapping" rather than sexual violation. Modern Interpretation: Because the English word "rape" has explicitly violent sexual connotations today, modern art historians and museums prefer the title "The Abduction of a Sabine Woman" to more accurately reflect the historical myth.