Grotto of Romulus and Remus

[wolram]

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=314&objectid=10477604


Mythology comes to life.

Italian archaeologists have unveiled the underground grotto believed to have been worshipped by ancient Romans as the place where a wolf nursed the city's legendary founder Romulus and his twin brother Remus.

Decorated with seashells and coloured marble, the vaulted sanctuary lies buried 16m inside the Palatine hill, the palatial centre of power in imperial Rome, archaeologists said.

[Chris Hillman]

Not sure I understand your statement "mythology comes to life". I am pretty sure that classicists never doubted that this cave was a real place, since contemporary authors mentioned ceremonies held there. However, if I am not mistaken, classicists have always felt and AFAIK still feel that the story of Romulus and Remus is mythological. So the discovery of what seems to be famous grotto confirms that it was a real place where real ceremonies were held, not that Romulus or Remus existed!

But yeah, it's an interesting discovery.

[Moonbear]

I agree with Chris' view that it's not a demonstration of the existence of Romulus and Remus (that would be really impressive), but of a place where they were worshipped. Nonetheless, very interesting to read about.

[arildno]

Hmm..according to which authors/traditions were they raised in a cave?

According to Livy, and others, a shepherd chanced upon the twin babies being nursed by a she-wolf by the riverside.
Then he took them home and became their foster father.

[Chris Hillman]

Their previous domicile presumably having been a kind of "wolf den", or specifically (according to an ancient Roman tradition) the recently rediscovered sacred grotto :wink: