His discovery was considered “amazing” by archaeologists and on Friday the find was presented to the public for the first time what is believed to be the tomb of one of the founders of Rome, Romulus, which brings the Eternal City to the beginnings of its history before 3,000 years.
According to CNN.gr, the location was of course known to experts, especially to the Italian Giacomo Bonnie (1859-1925), who from the 19th century had formulated the hypothesis that in the Roman Agora (Foro Romano) and around the public space meetings of the Committee in antiquity, may have been the monument of a prominent person or a hero, who may also have been the founder of the city.
Recent excavations at Colosseum Park have confirmed the case, revealing a 1.40 m long porous rock sarcophagus associated with a circular element — possibly an altar. The existence of the sarcophagus was known to Bonnie and the two monuments date back to the 60th century. BC, was announced by the management of the Colosseum park.
“In his studies, Bonnie did not make an interpretation of this place, he just described it, emphasizing that he had seen an ark or a basin (corresponding to a sarcophagus) and a stone cylinder,” said park director Alfonsina Rousseau. , presenting the sandbox to journalists for the first time.
“This information was then forgotten for about a century, as was the exact location of the spot, and for us it was a huge discovery to rediscover what Bonnie had described,” she added.
Of course, the park officials pointed out that it is still impossible “to state with all scientific certainty” that this is the tomb of Romylos.
“It is just a conjecture based on ancient sources, which as a whole for this area of the Agora invoke the existence of the tomb of Romulus,” explained archaeologist Patricia Fortini.
“Of course it is an important monument, the shape of our ark indicates a monument, a place of collective memory, but what it really was we can not say,” she added.
According to legend, Rome was founded on April 21, 753 BC. by Romulus, after the assassination of his brother Romus, who had crossed the boundaries set for the construction of the new city and after their disagreement over what should be built – Romulus preferred the Palatine Hill, above the cave “Lycaon” where the lycaon grew up, while Rome the hill of Aventinos.
