[MR] Cave of Romulus and Remus located in Rome : www.telegraph.co.uk

[David Chessler]

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Cave of Romulus and Remus located in Rome


By Malcolm Moore in Rome
Last Updated: 12:01am GMT 21/11/2007

Legend has it that Rome was founded by the twin brothers Romulus and 
Remus, who were raised on the milk of a she-wolf in her cave lair.
The legend of Romulus and Remus

For many hundreds of years archaeologists have lived in hope of 
finding the grotto and now, by sheer luck, they believe they have.
The probe and the mosic work on the walls of the cave, archaeol

The probe being lowered into the hill and a picture of the stunning 
mosaic work on the walls of the cave. Archaeologists believe the cave 
formed the centrepoint of Roman life

A team was using a probe to take samples and photograph the honeycomb 
core of t! he city's Palatine hill when they stumbled across the 
shrine 16 metres below ground.

The cave, known as the Lupercale - Luper is Latin for wolf - was 
discovered facing the Circus Maximus underneath the palace of the 
first emperor, Augustus.

"The photographs that the probe sent back showed the most famous 
place in Roman mythology," said Francesco Rutelli, the Italian 
culture minister.

"We have been searching for this site for years, and at last everyone 
can see it."
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Walter Veltroni, the mayor of Rome, added: "It is amazing to think 
that this legendary place has finally become real before our eyes. 
Rome never ceases to stun the world with this sort of discovery."

The cave was found earlier this year but only now have archaeologists 
been able to verify it as the Lupercale.

The chamber, which is seven-and-a-half metres high and six metres 
wide, is studded with seashells and mosaics. Part of the grotto 
appears natural, while part of it has been built.

It was decorated by Augustus, who wanted to establish a religious 
cult that celebrated the she-wolf. In the middle of the cave is a 
marble mosaic of a white eagle, the imperial motif.

Giorgio Croci, the lead archaeologist, said his team "almost 
screamed" when they realised what they had found. "It is clear that 
Augustus wanted his residence to be built in a place which was sacred 
for the city of Rome."

The emperor restored the sanctuary and probably connected it to his 
own palace, he said.

According to Roman mythology, Romulus and Remus - the sons of a 
mortal priestess, Rhea Silvia, and Mars, the Roman god of war - were 
born around 770BC.

The boys were abandoned at birth and thrown into the Tiber in a 
cradle! . They washed up near the Palatine hill and were rescued by a 
she-wolf, who took them to her cave lair and suckled them.

After being found by the shepherd, Faustulus, and raised to 
adulthood, the twins decided in 753BC to establish a city. However, 
they argued about who had the support of the gods, and Romulus killed 
Remus in a fight on what became the Palatine hill.

The cave played a significant role in ancient Roman life. Dogs and 
goats were sacrificed every February and the blood smeared on the 
foreheads of two noble boys as part of a festival. Women would also 
go there to pray for a pregnancy.

However, with the growth of Christianity, the old beliefs fell by the wayside.

Angelo Bettini, Rome's chief archaeologist, said no one had yet been 
able to enter the grotto.

Archaeologists are now searching for the cave's original entrance, 
and will shortly build scaffolding to secure the interior.

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