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It's in the news….they think they have found the sanctuary of the legendary twins:Sanctuary of Rome's 'founder' revealedThis is pretty significant given Romulus and Remus' story in the founding of Rome. As the article discusses, Augustus was keen on this and used it to his advantage. I imagine there are many more archaeological finds hidden under the hills and outskirts of Rome. From what I have heard, minor finds are made on a regular basis (e.g. pottery shards, etc.) but these kinds of artifacts are placed in the walls or whatnot of the new construction.
So are you saying this find may actually legitimate or verify the myth of Romulus and Remus? Man that is very neat! I wonder what the atheists at CL would say to this little finding?
Ha ha, good question. Actually, I think it's an actual sanctuary that was believed to be the sanctuary of Romulus and Remus. I think the importance in it is the place it played in Rome as a power, rather than Rome's actual true origin. I haven't heard scholarship as to the real founding of the Eternal City, but I'm guessing not many people are going to believe that a wolf nursing some kids is very believable. I do realize that feral kids do exist, but in this particular context? Believable?
I guess now we have a doubter about the room's authenticity. His objection is actually pretty legitimate, IMO:
...Adriano La Regina, Rome's superintendent of archaeology from 1976 to 2004, said ancient descriptions of the place suggest the Lupercale is elsewhere -- 50 to 70 meters northwest of the cave discovered near Emperor Augustus' palace. "I am positive this is not the Lupercale," La Regina told Reuters in an interview....Dionysius said the Lupercale, which draws its name from the Latin word for wolf, was close to the Temple of Victory, also on the Palatine Hill, while the cave unveiled this week was found near the Temple of Apollo."If this were the Lupercale, Dionysius would have surely mentioned the Temple of Apollo, which was much bigger and more famous than the Temple of Victory," said La Regina.
Italian expert skeptical of sacred Roman caveSee the story for more details. Oddly enough, Reuters put that story in its "Oddly Enough" category of stories....don't ask me why.
Now they are saying that a Constantinian basilica built near the sanctuary was where the first December 25 Christmas was celebrated. The reasoning here sounds like it was a way of the “Christianizing” the pagan site.Expert links pagan shrine to first ChristmasThis is getting more and more interesting. This is why Rome is such a great place - so much of Western Civilization links back to this very city.
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