Casa Romuli

Thanks to its long history, the city of Rome is full of archaeological remains from many different eras. While the most famous ones, like the Colosseum or the Pantheon date back to the golden age of the Roman Empire, the city dates back many centuries.

The traditional date of the foundation of Rome is 753 BC, but the area was inhabited for centuries prior. However, some parts of a city wall were constructed much earlier, revealing that a city may have emerged during 730 BC. In addition, a few hut foundations dating back to the Iron Age, more specifically a period between 900 BC and 700 BC, have been found on Palatine Hill, the traditional location of the house of Romulus.

Due to the date, location, and size of the dwelling, these remains are believed to be the foundations of the ancient house of Romulus, the founder and first king of Rome. For this reason, the remains are known as “Casa Romuli” ( “House of Romulus”).

The huts were damaged and repaired several times, most notably in 38 BC after a fire broke out during a ceremony celebrating Romulus destroyed most of the dwelling. Another fire was reported in 12 BC, but the Casa Romuli probably survived until the 4th-century. The hut foundations that can be seen today are cut into the tufa bedrock of the Palatine Hill and were discovered during excavations in 1946.