ROME — Italian archaeologists have inched closer to unearthing the secrets behind one of Western civilization’s most enduring legends. The Italian government Tuesday released the first images of a deep cavern where some archaeologists believe ancient Romans honored Romulus and Remus, the legendary founders of Rome in 753 B.C. The cavern, 50 feet under the ruins of the palace of Emperor Augustus I, is about 23 feet high and 21 feet in diameter. Camera-probe photos show a domed cavern decorated with well-preserved colored mosaics and seashells. At its center is a painted eagle, a symbol of the Roman empire. “This could reasonably be the place bearing witness to the myth of Rome,” Francesco Rutelli, Italy’s culture minister, said Tuesday at a news conference.
