The Lupercal Cave: A Refuge for Romulus and Remus and the Roman Festival of Lupercalia

The Lupercal Cave is a cave mentioned in the story of Romulus and Remus, the legendary founders of the city of Rome. Like many other legendary forefathers of ancient cities and societies, Romulus and Remus are believed to have been extraordinary figures, and such claims are demonstrated by the stories about their lives. One of the most famous stories about Romulus and Remus comes from their childhood, and is about a she-wolf who suckled them. The depiction of this story is perhaps best represented in a bronze sculpture known as the Capitoline Wolf (thought originally to be from ancient Rome, but proven to be a forgery from the Middle Ages).