Archaeologists in Rome are to embark on a quest for a 2,500-year-old stone sarcophagus linked to the legend of the city’s fabled founder – Romulus. They believe it lies hidden in a chamber deep beneath the Forum, once the heart of ancient Rome and now an area of ruined temples and imperial palaces that attracts millions of tourists a year.

The stone casket is believed to date from the 4th century BC, when it was placed inside a chamber in a mystical, sacred area of the Forum that celebrated the founding of Rome. Archeologists believe it lies around 10ft underground, buried out of sight beneath a building known as the Comitium – a precursor to the Roman Senate.