Archaeologists have found a decorated dome or grotto that they believe was revered by ancient Romans as the place where twins were fostered by a she-wolf–or at least associated with them. The grotto lies, fragile but preserved, 16 metres beneath the Palatine hill. The grotto was called the Lupercale (“Lupa” is Latin for “She-wolf.”)
In the past two years, experts have been probing the space with endoscopes and laser scanners, fearing that the fragile grotto, already partially caved-in, would not survive a full-scale dig, said Giorgio Croci, an engineer who worked on the site.The archaeologists are convinced that they have found the place of worship where Romans believed a she-wolf suckled Romulus and Remus, the twin sons of the god of war, Mars, who were abandoned in a basket and left adrift on the Tiber.
Thanks to the wolf, a symbol of Rome to this day, the twins survived, and Romulus founded the city, becoming its first king after killing Remus in a power struggle.
The emperor Augustus ruled to the year 14 BCE, and probably wished to associate his reign with the reflected glory of the founder.
Another Italian archaeologist pointed out that the Lupercale was not where the twins were supposedly fostered, but was 50 to 70 yards from the cave.
