Filippo Canali De Rossi writes that in my review of his book I was “very sceptical about the possibility of accepting the continuity in use of writing from the origins of Rome.” Not at all. As I believe I clearly expressed, I was — and am — skeptical that such continuity allows us to “have faith in the reliability of the tradition, which archaeological results more and more often confirm,” as C. claims.
With respect to the fine old town of Gabii, I have no doubt that at least one person there could read and write as early as the eighth century, but still cannot see how that leads one to find “confirmation” of the tradition that Romulus and Remus studied Greek at Gabii, as C. writes. And this no matter what the four- or five-letter inscription might say.