The Lapis Niger

The Lapis Niger is one of the most baneful place in Rome. What is the Lapis Niger? The discovery of it was in the XIX century: archaeologists immediately thought to a poem written by Festo. A quote of this poem told about a black stone near the Comizio (lapis niger in Comizio) considered as a baneful place because it was probably the tomb of Romolo (the first King of Rome) or because it was the place in which he were murdered. Other excavations found out that under this place there was an altar and a part of a colomn or a pedestal. On this pedestal (or colomn) there are written words in a language that is similar to an ancient greek, used before the VI century b.C. (so before the republican age). This epigraph it's hard to be translated, but it tells that this was a holy place and it threatened thieves with terribles punishmets and curses. The presence of an altar an a statue may indicate that it was temple (but it could be a tomb too). Today in Rome we say that this stone "porta jella" (it takes bad luck), so don't touch it. If you want more information, post me. Dblk