View source for Lupercal

{{Short description|Cave at the foot of the Palatine Hill in Rome}}
{{Distinguish|Lupercalia}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{Infobox cave
| name = Lupercal
| photo = Altar Mars Venus Massimo.jpg
| photo_width = 270
| photo_caption = First-century Roman sculpture in relief depicting the Roman foundation myth. Romulus and Remus are shown being suckled by a she-wolf in the Lupercal (bottom left).
|coordinates={{WikidataCoord|display=it}}
|mapframe-frame-width=270
|mapframe=yes
|mapframe-caption=Click on the map for a fullscreen view
|mapframe-zoom=12
|mapframe-marker=monument
|mapframe-wikidata=yes
| location = Palatine Hill in Rome
| depth = 15m
| discovery = January 2007
}}
The '''Lupercal'''  (from Latin ''[[wikt:lupa|lupa]]'' "female [[wolf]]") was a [[cave]] at the southwest foot of the [[Palatine Hill]] in [[Rome]], located somewhere between the temple of [[Temple of Cybele (Palatine)|Magna Mater]] and the [[Sant'Anastasia al Palatino]].<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Vuković|first1=Krešimir|title=The Topography of the Lupercalia|journal=The Papers of the British School at Rome|volume=86|pages=37–60|doi=10.1017/S0068246217000381|year=2018|doi-access=free}}</ref> In the legend of the [[founding of Rome]], [[Romulus and Remus]] were found there by the [[she-wolf (Roman mythology)|she-wolf]] who suckled them until they were rescued by the shepherd [[Faustulus]]. Luperci, the priests of [[Faunus]], celebrated certain ceremonies of the [[Lupercalia]] at the cave, from the earliest days of the City until at least 494 AD.

==Modern discovery==
[[Image:Lupa Capitolina, Rome.jpg|thumb|[[Capitoline Wolf|Lupa Capitolina ("The Capitoline Wolf")]]: the she-wolf is of unknown origin, the suckling twins were added {{circa|1500}}.]]
In January 2007, Italian archaeologist [[Irene Iacopi]] announced that she had probably found the legendary cave beneath the remains of Emperor [[Augustus]]'s house, the ''Domus [[Livia]]'', on the Palatine. Archaeologists came across the 15-meter-deep cavity while working to restore the decaying palace.<ref name="Valsecchi">{{cite news
  | first = Maria Cristina
  | last = Valsecchi
  | url = http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/01/070126-rome-palatine.html
  | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070130144937/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/01/070126-rome-palatine.html
  | url-status = dead
  | archive-date = 30 January 2007
  | title = Sacred Cave of Rome's Founders Discovered, Archaeologists Say
  | work = National Geographic News
  | publisher = [[National Geographic Society|National Geographic]]
  | date = 26 January 2007
  | access-date =20 November 2007
}}</ref><ref>[http://terraeantiqvae.blogia.com/2007/112001-descubren-la-cueva-donde-romulo-y-remo-fueron-amamantados-por-la-loba.php "Descubren la cueva donde Rómulo y Remo fueron amamantados por la loba"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090316103857/http://terraeantiqvae.blogia.com/2007/112001-descubren-la-cueva-donde-romulo-y-remo-fueron-amamantados-por-la-loba.php |date=16 March 2009 }}</ref>

On 20 November 2007, the first set of photos were released showing the vault of the grotto which is encrusted with colourful mosaics, pumice stones and seashells. The center of the ceiling features a depiction of a white eagle, the symbol of the Roman Empire. Archaeologists had not yet found the grotto's entrance, so they continued looking.<ref name="Jaggard">{{cite news
  | first = Victoria
  | last = Jaggard
  | url = http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/11/071120-rome-grotto.html
  | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071121132109/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/11/071120-rome-grotto.html
  | url-status = dead
  | archive-date = 21 November 2007
  | title = Photo in the News: Grotto of Rome's Founders Revealed
  | work = National Geographic News
  | publisher = National Geographic
  | date = 20 November 2007
  | access-date =21 November 2007
}}</ref>

[[Image:Lupercal grotto.jpg|thumb|The cave beneath the ''Domus Livia'' on the [[Palatine Hill]]. The photo was taken with a probe.]]
Its location below Augustus' residence was thought to be significant; Octavian, before he became [[Augustus]], had considered taking the name [[Romulus]] to indicate that he intended to found Rome anew.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/21/world/europe/21rome.htm1 |title=Cave May Hold Secrets to Legend of Ancient Rome |last=Kiefer |first=Peter |website=New York Times |language=en | date=2007-11-20|access-date=2023-10-28}}</ref><ref>Suetonius, Vita Divi Augusti, I.7</ref>

===Opposing opinions===
Adriano La Regina (formerly Rome's archaeological superintendent 1976–2004, professor of [[Etruscology]] at [[Sapienza University of Rome]]),<ref>Aloisi, Silvia. [http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22813219-12377,00.html "Expert doubts Lupercale 'find'"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071124214653/http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22813219-12377,00.html |date=24 November 2007 }}, ''The Australian'', 24 November 2007.</ref> Professor [[Fausto Zevi]] (professor of Roman Archaeology at Rome's La Sapienza University)<ref>[http://roma.repubblica.it/dettaglio/%C3%88-uno-splendido-ninfeo-ma-il-Lupercale-non-era-li/1392770  "È uno splendido ninfeo, ma il Lupercale non era lì"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126035614/https://roma.repubblica.it/dettaglio/%C3%88-uno-splendido-ninfeo-ma-il-Lupercale-non-era-li/1392770 |date=26 January 2021 }}, ''la Repubblica'', 23 November 2007.</ref> and Professor Henner von Hesberg (head of the German Archaeological Institute, Rome)<ref>Schulz, Matthia. [http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,520440,00.html "Is Italy's Spectacular Find Authentic?"] ''Spiegel Online'', 29 November 2007.</ref> denied the identification of the grotto with Lupercal on topographic and stylistic grounds. They concluded that the grotto is actually a [[nymphaeum]] or underground [[triclinium]] from [[Nero]]nian times. The current scholarly consensus is that the grotto is not the Lupercal and that the cave was located lower southwest, closer to piazza [[Sant'Anastasia al Palatino]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Coarelli|first1=Filippo|title=Palatium|date=2012|publisher=Quasar|location=Rome|pages=132–9}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Vuković |first1=Krešimir |title=The Topography of the Lupercalia |journal=Papers of the British School at Rome |date=10 November 2017 |volume=86 |pages=37–60 |doi=10.1017/S0068246217000381|doi-access=free }}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Casa Romuli]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{cite book |first=M. |last=Lucentini |title=The Rome Guide: Step by Step through History's Greatest City|date=31 December 2012 |publisher=Interlink |isbn=9781623710088 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=laMDAQAAQBAJ}}

{{commons-inline}}
{{Sequence
| prev = [[Largo di Torre Argentina]]
| list = Landmarks of Rome
| curr = Lupercal
| next = [[Pantheon, Rome|Pantheon]]
}}
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{{Monuments of Rome}}
{{Roman religion}}
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[[Category:8th century BC in the Roman Kingdom]]
[[Category:Roman mythology]]
[[Category:Topography of the ancient city of Rome]]
[[Category:Palatine Hill]]
[[Category:Lupercalia]]
[[Category:She-wolf (Roman mythology)]]
[[Category:Places in classical mythology]]