Palace find lends weight to myth

[emad]

Sophie Arie in Rome and agencies
Tuesday February 15, 2005
The Guardian

Archaeologists have discovered the remains of a royal palace in the heart of the Italian capital which dates back to the time when the mythical twins Romulus and Remus were said to have founded the city.
Until now, legend has described how Rome was founded in 753BC by the sons of Mars, the god of war, who were found and nurtured by a wolf. Museums have had nothing but statues of the twins drinking milk from a she-wolf to symbolise the origins of the city.

While there is little evidence of the existence of Romulus and Remus, the discovery of the palace offers tantalising indications that the legend had roots in fact.

In the last month, archaeologists digging in the Roman Forum have uncovered what they believe to have been a royal palace that dates back to the period.

Andrea Carandini, a professor of archaeology at Rome's Sapienza University, found the traces of what appears to have been a 435 sq metre palace, on the spot where the Temple of Romulus stands.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/italy/story/0,12576,1414799,00.html

[ashmanonar]

1. wouldn't surprise me that romulus and remus had some basis in fact.

seems like whenever people scoff at a myth, and say "oh, that couldn't possibly be" it usually ends up being true. minotaur? there probably was something like one. romulus and remus? probably real rulers (unless one killed the other, as the legend is...then it's certainly possible)

[trotsky]

2. Well, technically the myth isn't true

It's just that some actual fact(s) got embellished into a myth.

Extracting those facts is the difficult part.

[Az]

3. As ever is the case

The Dead Sea experiences the collapse of a near by mountain which triggers a flood of sea water and destroying a small coastal village and the myth of a global flood is born. Nuggets of truth at the center of many myths.

[ashmanonar]

4. well, myths are never technically true.

but you're right, they're founded in fact.

[trotsky]

5. Whew!

I thought you were going to put me in the comfy chair.

[ashmanonar]

6. guh?

me no understand. :dunce:

[trotsky]

7. No one expects the Spanish Inquisition!

With the pic in your signature, I figured you would be familiar with that skit. The comfy chair, the soft pillows, "the rack"... one of the Python classics.

[ashmanonar]

10. lol.

it's been a while since i've seen it. i've forgotten a lot of the details.

i understand now.

[lenidog]

9. I hope you are kidding about the

comfy chair. Because then I would have to ask why you have that avatar.

[lenidog]

8. All myths have a grain of truth

It wouldn't suprise me at all. Also since all famous Romans had a habit of claiming divine ancestors (Julius Caesar picked Venus) maybe Romulus and Remus started the tradition by claiming the Gods sent a wolf to nurture them and it changed after the centuries being descended from the Gods.