Rome unveils tomb that may belong to wolf-suckled king

ROME: An ancient tomb thought to belong to Rome´s founder Romulus was presented to the world on Friday, after months of investigation by history sleuths.

The 6th century BC stone sarcophagus, with an accompanying circular altar, was discovered under the Forum in the heart of Italy´s capital over a century ago -- but experts could not agree on whether or not it belonged to the fabled figure.

According to legend, Romulus founded the city after killing his twin brother Remus. The brothers had been raised by a she-wolf -- the symbol of Rome shows them sucking at her teats -- but later fell out over where to build the new metropolis.

Historians have long been divided not only over whether the pair actually existed, but if so where Romulus´ body -- which was reportedly dismembered after his death by angry senators -- may have been buried.

The tomb was found in the 19th century and was known to specialists at the time but was forgotten until new digs within the past year.

The Colosseum Archaeological Park, which manages the Forum where the sarcophagus lies, said recent clues all pointed to it being the founder´s tomb, in what it labelled an "extraordinary discovery".

Still, archaeologists called for caution, saying it was impossible to scientifically confirm -- and no bones were found inside the sarcophagus. "It´s only a suggestion based on ancient sources, all of which speak of the presence of the tomb of Romulus in this area of the Forum," Patrizia Fortini, who was charged with the dig, told AFP.

"It´s certainly an important monument. The shape of the chest reminds us of a memorial, a place of remembrance, but what it really was, we can´t say." Romulus, made popular by writers such as Livy, Ovid and Plutarch, is said to have ploughed a square furrow around the Palatine Hill to demarcate the walls of the future city. When a mocking Remus hopped over the "wall" to prove how ineffective it would be against invaders, his brother killed him.