Eterna

If I were surrounded by Romanophiles in real life I wouldn't spend so much time on this site. I agree with Ursus. Outside of a select group in the Italian-American organizations I belong to, the main Romanophiles I have known in my 41 years were foreign exchange students. Some 60% were Europeans, mainly Germans. The other 40% were various South Americans.

One statue does not prove that the wolf was not Rome's symbol. However trivial it may seem, Rome's mythical founding on April 21st,753 would give Rome an interesting "astrological mix. The sun in Taurus{the immovable object}, likely Aries=wolf rising{the irresistible force}, and the moon in {driven} Aquarius. Astronomers scoff & Astrologers disagree. But for those familiar with the latter. This combination does seem to fit the "Roman character." Any thoughts?

I think that is the biggest problem, finding them. Troy is a very ancient city, the chance of getting genetic material from it slim to none. Rome and her empire has left so much more to dig up. I agree thatit is unlikely that any DNA evidence of the Trojans will be found. But, you never can be certain about these things.

I agreewhole heartedly with you. Just because somethings can't be totally proven, does not mean that it is 100% false. Many of the Celtophiles still insist that the Gauls never attacked Rome, and that they were the innocent victims like the native Americans. While buffoons like Thomas Cahill proudly proclaim some false geneographic kinship with the Gauls who sacked Rome in July of 390BC. What do a tiny minority of Celts in Ireland have to do with the Northern Italian Celts? This is irrational, but some people like living in the land of OZ. I think Agnes Carr Vaughan in her book on the Etruscans has some info on your point.

I caution those who treat 'myth' the same a 'fairytale'. Ancient Myth is often based on histical events that predate written records and therefore get documented in various story form that is easily remembered and passed down. So just because Aeneas is most likely a literary fabrication, doesn't mean there is no truth to those potential roots for Roman civilization. That there was an ancient 'Pelasgian' population that settled on the west coast of Italy and south of Rome (Ardea as one civic example) during the Bronze Age seems evident but grossly overlooked. Further, the Etruscans seem to have come originally from Asia Minor though at a much earlier period. So from many different points of view, it is not wholly incorrect that archaic populations from Asia Minor had a hand in the establishment of Rome...