THE CmCOMBS

OF ROME
AND THE ORIGINS OF CHRISTIANITY

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>mbc 4 S Pudenzianj 15 ( atacomba di Prea

lUvilnlir 5 S Mara Maggion .n>mhi .irIU vii LatUM
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6 S ( ii >\ .4iirii in I atCtaDO, 10 icomba <in SS Marcdlino c
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7 S Stefaoo Rotoodo, J7 Pietn
ann Mun Auirliane 8 SS i riovanni i I 18 S I

9 S Sabina, J5 19 s tgncat mori k I

I VII Rcgioni cci l<

10 S Paolo Iu-ti l< Mm 20 i imin ro Maggion
11 i
ttacomba >li (ommodilla, W 21 ( imiirr.' UMMUIDO ill iu Aiu;
12 ( atacomba <li DomitilU
13 i
atai oniba .l> s i jIIm. 23 i
ttacomba dei ( iiordan
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14 Sebastiano, 17
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 rizio M.uuinclli

THE CATACOMBS OF ROM]

and the < origins i
>l <
hristianit)

with un lnifiHluin.

UmlxTti- M I asola

This hook in dedicated to the late Professoi i

generations of students "t ( hristiao archaeology, jiuI t>r m

[nspectof of the- Catacombs and Rectoi "t th<
He lus lc-tt un manifest eriden
,

;ilit\and his doctrine in the teorgai

c-urn. of which he- was the- ferveni directoi until tl

long and ge ne rous lite

In collaboration with the Pontifi

and the Vatican Museums (Pontifical Monumei
 r. Bust of Christ. (jUiomb of
Commodilla.

:
\ ronti\(<tt'ce: Fresco in the cry/:

l.uuna in the CSttCOtmb OJ St (.allix

tlU. The basket of bread and the
painted fish <>n the green field refer
to the Miracle of the Loaves and
Pishes, but the glass of red utn< in
the basket symbolizes the Eucharntn
meal prefigured on that occasion

Back-cover: Gilded glass with St

Agnes and a pair of doves. Catacomb
of Pamphtlus.

1 Painting in the Palazzo Apost

Vaticano. It shows Piux IX"s visit to

the catacomb of St. Callixtus in 1834,

after the discovery of the Crypt of the
Popes and the tomb of St. Cecilia,
shown here. The three saints por-
trayed in the skylight are the martyrs,
Sebastian, Polycamus and Quinnus.
who the nearby catacomb of St.
fie in

Sebastian. The next to last person on

the right is G to van Battista De Rossi,
the great explorer and master scientist
of Christian archaeology.

Contents

Introduction, 3
St. John Lateran, 10
St. Peter's, 12
San Sebastiano, 17
Catacomb of St. Callixtus, 21
Catacomb of Domitilla, 25
Catacomb of Prise ilia 28 ,

COPYRIGHT 1981 bj ALA, W Untuto

Catacomb of Commodilla, 30 f -oto^rutiio Edttoriale, Fircnac
( atacomb of Praetextatus, 32 Editorial Dim tor PfUfWTtrfl Papafan
Editing: Damclr MalifX)
( .ilk omb of Via Latina, 33
(

Editorial Aaustani ( ado ufmlindi

omb of Saints Marcellinus and Peter, 3 I tyoui I tied Rotennoi h
( oemeterium Maius, 44 1 r.tnsLitH'ii ( Bfol \\ .iN-rrnun
Anonymous ( emetery in Via Anapo, 45 Produced In Si ALA, Istiruto Fotognfico
( omb
.it. i. of the ( riordani, 46 Editoaak
PUOI M \[ \
( acsu omb of Pamphilus, 48 Photognphi S( Al \ (Maura Sarri), eacepi
Sam 'Agnese ruori le Mura a 6, 7, 18 BibUoteq Apostolka Vatkaoa; a
San Paolo fuoti le Mura, 52 2, 13 19, 26, 41 tied;
\ Held; a Kb, 17 M-muncHi. a
Sana Maria Maggii I

lMuMtVetkant;o 24T Nicolini;n 44 \

Santa Sabina, 55
<\J 64, s<s Pontitki.it ommisMonc ill Auheolo
Santo Stefano Rotondi i n 1H7 PuhSlucrtot.'
Santa Pudenziana, 58 Reverends Fabbl tTO

Santi ( osma cDamtano, 5 (

;
Printed m Italy by ( ionti Tipocoloi
1990
Pio ( ruistian Museum, 60
( rlossan
Introduction Museum) in their new lodging! in the ' the Roman
Vatican It was the ordinarj risitoi
rather than the specialist that .

Professor Josi had in mind when he

The illustrations for this hook were arranged the material tor displa) in

collected by the late Professor Enrico the new light-tilled halls of the
Josi towards the end of a long and Vatican.
active life. The dissemination of Thus, the sarcophagi tnd other "eijme .

knowledge about anucnt ( .hnstian sculptures were exhibited according

monuments
popularization in the to their subject matter, main
higher sense of the term formed were included ot works exhibited
an essential part of the profe elsewhere, and the gTCai accomplish- than a >

work, tor he believed in the ment ot Giovan Battista i

importance of these monument- as during the last ccntun, the the lurvn
" venerable and authentic evider nization ol the vast epigraphical tun ( hutch in Rome He
the faith and religious lite oi collection along p<
antiquiu. and pnm.m KH1KC left intac
earlv comffiUl
material tor t he Stud]
Christian <>t tive \isitor c an easirj p in the eafl\ I rid it was
institutions dnd CUltUfC", to use ttie tial aspec tS oi the Rome that lef

words of Pope Pius XI He WTOtC beliefs and mentahu 'itis number

dear, comprehensible
articles, and nans ot the tifst centuries \|>
brimming with details, tor the I ha the sjnie populal all. in

Osse
I other i aim In its preparation PfOtesSOi
papers, and dedicated the last .
deliberately brought togcthet all the no I

ot his hte to reorganizing the most c harac terisii, pictures "I the
collection] d the M ristiano e Ombl and other . ult i

Protano Lateranensc (the Lateraa in order

 asylum and house of pra\er tor

pCCKCUtcd ( hrisdaiH Hut science.

today, i an otter us instead inuf
mmunity of the faithful, with
c heir daily ups and downs, the great
events of their DlStOfJ . their worries
and hopes and. above all, their
religious sentiments, which arc at
least as fascinating in their own
Tins community was an ancient one.
directlyconnected with the first

of Christian preaching, and when St.

Paul reached Rome in about AD 61
he found it already well-organized
and efficient. The Christians had
been informed of his arrival
beforehand: immediately, thc\
ranged for groups of represent.,
to welcome him with the honor and
exultation befitting the great apostle,
although in chains with
he came
other prisoners perhaps common
criminals
and an escort of soldiers.
Groups of Christians hastened to the
station on the Appian Way called
Tres Tabernae, fifty kilometres from
the city, and some went even farther,
to the Forum Apti. The book of The
Acts of the Apostles (28, 14-15) says
that St. Paul was moved and drew
courage from this fact, and was per-
suaded thereby that the Christian
message had already grown deep
roots in Rome. And indeed, these
roots continued to grow and gain
strength. In vain did Nero's persecu-
tion eliminate a "vast multitude" of
believers (to use the expression of the
pagan, Tacitus); in vain did tempests
and disturbances strike again and
again during the next two centuries:
they caused the community trouble
and pain, but they never shook its
solid foundations.
The constant growth ot he- com* t

3 Row of "tabemae". A road munity forced its leaders to adopt

through the Trajan marketplace gives more rational forms ot organization.
an idea of the intense city life that a step in keeping with the Roman
went OH in ami around these shops. spirit especialK during a period when
The Christians were undoubtedly a all the civilized world WSJ governed
part of it. from the citv. and the Church w..v

soon subdivided into groups

Hypothetical reconstruction y I perhaps on the model 01 the enor-
"Jomui fcclcsia" beneath mous Jewish colony that ahead,
bast.: >>t\ John and Paul. It isied in Rome In fact, the earh
.1 two-story dwelling in whose Roman Christiana retained a memorv
right wing marked in ot their lew ish origins tor quite a long
large hall was butt: I ft during time As late as the titth ccnturv. the
urth century (from frank/). two traditions were represented in
basilica mosaics (in Santa Pudeniians
tying figure Tbii wai : i
and Santa Sabina. tor example)
I

fourth ccntur, by the svmholu figures ot tt.

groundfk iid the < .

gentibm It b almost certain that no

 I hnstian \\u Nazareth and his followers The
of the Vatican Library ol The Aits ot the Apostles mentions moil ind humble
Christians often decorated their thai there were "strangers of Roi The.
objects with religious among those present 00 the first ,
dated neigh 1

in the
themes. This ivory, part oj an sion the Apostles spoke in Jerusalem subui
illustrates the Healing It was almost certainly the ferment win.
of the man uho uas blind from birth. among the lews of Rome, caused bv I\ trade n
>:bol of conversion to the light of conversions to the new doctrine, that along the banks of the I ibe-

set off the con trorersj and public industries like th<
unrest whose intensity finally led the
from the Christian Emperoi laudius to expel all
(

um of the Vatican Library, with from the ut\ in about \

the r ders of the Church of reported bj the pagan writer.
Rome engraved in gold at the bottom tonius. and tfa
of the cup. Other religious sun Paul, who met exiles tr- >ni he I

often af\: nese vessels. / capital ii ' but after the death in the i

Christian laudius, when the exiles return-

thej were already dn
different rclig and

spcutu preacher brought the Gospel munirj h

message to Rome, e case in
many churches elsewhere s Paul' prospered tin

would have mentioned it. especial!) came in a contil

if the evangelist had been St Peter

Rather. Christianity seems to hut welcoming of th<

sprung up spontaneously in the I

with the ri^id
be Roman Jewish community, the hula:
which was largely COH>|
tradespeople whose COQOM with their
t tain!.
homeland must luve brought tliem
carl\ knowledge oi the im;
dined by the preaihu :
other veil
 former benefactors, and when ma-
lestie churches later replaced the
houses during the Reign of Peace, the
original name was kept in nearly all
of them. Throughout the fifth cen-
tury, many of their former owners
were even held to be saints by the
populace, or were confused with mar-
ts rs bearing the same name: Sabma.
Balbina, Cecilia, Anastasta, Griso-
gonus, Eusebius, Pudens Archaeo-
logical excavations have onk raid)
revealed traces of these early house-
hold churches, and those which have
been discovered lack am ret) evident
signs of Christianity, like the (jrant
(a figure with arms outstretched in
prayer symbolizing the faithful 1

painted in a hall of the house dis-

covered beneath the titulus of Bizans
del Celio. Many factors contribute
to explain this. The new church
was not always built precisely on
the site of the old titulus, but fre-
quently on more suitable neighbor-
ing ground. Or the ancient parish
center might have been located in an
upper-story apartment, as still hap-
pens today in many of the cit\ '3
suburbs. It is a well-known fact that
the enormous population of the
capital led residential Roman ar-
chitecture to develop upwards, so
that buildings in Rome, unlike the
type of structure found in Pompeii
and other cities, were up to four or
five stories high.Obviously, the con-
struction of titular basilicas towards
the end of the fourth and during the
fifth centuries resulted in the com-
plete eradication of the mcmot) oi

8 Fossor, or gravedigger, at work, 9 Banquet illustrated in a chamber these ancient places of worship.
depicted in a painting from the of the catacomb of St. Callixtus. This But the underground cemeteries still
Catacomb of Saints Marcellinus and ancient agape funeral rite, formerly bear well-preserved traces of another
Peter. The overwhelmingly vast held to be a representation of the aspect of the beneficence <>t wealth)
necropoli of underground Rome are Eucharist, a pagan ceremonial
is Roman Christians towards their com-
the creation of these humble workers, which symbolizes loving union munity: the donation of land tor

who opened galleries and cubicula, with the dead. The Church treated private burial grounds 1 he names of

decorated them with frescoes and this as a rite of love and charity and these cemeteries, like those of the ur-
then buried the dead in them. tolerated it until the fifth century. ban tttuli. reveal the genetOSit) oi the
owners of the- property in which the)
lie: Prise ilia, Domitilla, Maxmuiv
sentenced to exile as a Christian and number of these rich homes became Thraso, Commodiua, Agnes, Otta-
had ended her lift on the island of established centers of Christianity, villa, etc. And in some of the cata-
I'oti/a with a "longum martynum" ,
much like modern parishes toda\ In combs ot the pre-( onstanrintao p<
as St. Jerome says Indeed, who Inn the fourth century, there were nod it is possible to distinguish
the wealthy could provide the twenty-five d them. Each d these original nuclei which were enlarged
economic means tor organizing the "tttuli", as they were- called, bore lata tO make- room tor main more
( hristiao i ommunitj '
Believers the name ot the owner, whom the graves than were IWCCSBai) tor the
gathered in their homes tor the pel civil authorities held juridically members oi a single ramil) \\ e have
rormancc of eucharistu and bap- responsible for the property and .ill proot ot ( hutch possession, from the
tismal rues, to receive religious in- th.it went on in it he gratitude oi
I start, tor one c.ti.uomb onl\ the .

struction, and to assisi the need) the- Roman community was reflected cemeter) ". as the author oi the earl)
During the third ienun\ .1 certain in .1 long-cherished memorj oi these third centuT) .-. alls
 :

VA.S

12

it. where nearly all the popes <>t that

century were buried Its name t<>ila\

Callixtus (Cf. p 1 Perhaps 1 i

there were other community areas as

well, like the recently discovered
Domitilla nucleus (Cf. p. 2<>). named
after the Flavii Aureln. hut probably
these. tcx>, had their first origins in
the benefit. erue ot the wealthy, who
granted the Church use ot their lands
as burialground With the passage of 10 Hone Joll. uith arluulateii . persecution, whicl
time, all cemeteries became
nearh an J legs, found m the hrr; ed bj the raromn
the property ot the Church ami were i small loculus in the a I els ot the last cer
directly administered hv it But .fun The ehilJr, in to the popular in
numerous exceptions still existed dur- the The ancients vullmgh made U
ing Reign ot Peace: private
the tilth a profusion underground land when il
cemeteries belonging to Christian jects: lamps, vessels for : easih and ul' :imr
families who preterred not to join the immemorial the -
turn
Church's tuneral organization An thost red the
example was discovered on the Via
Latina in 1956 (Cf. p. 33). a small 11 Epigraph mi/
hypogeum full ot stupendous paint- Pio Mnstun galleties
ings a regular fourth century gum recreation atr
pinacotcca! fnume\ t<>u a\; call<
The early beginnings of ecclesiastical the summer villa;

.i/ation date bat k to the tin the

yO) He divided undc
the city into seven districts and en- I

trusted seven deacons with the super-

vision ot the cultural, instructional
and charitable activities thai went <n

in the fitu/i >A each Another of their

was tuneral organization, tor
which the state did not provide at
that time, and eSM h tlistru was allott t

ed a burial /one outside the walls,

with a certain number .it ce me e t ries

The plan in this volume shows their

probable division
(cmeteriei were not built under-
ground out of a desire tor s.itet\ from
 .'

Each corpse was wrapped in a sheet 14 Sarcophagus ofDomitilla, now in wars against the Goths in the sixth
before being placed in the tomb, the Vatican. Mid-fourth-century century, the Longobard raids of the
which often contained two or more Here we see the symbolism in artists seventh and the growing insecurity
members of the same family. The representations of the Passion at that and poverty of the Roman coun-
name of the deceased was painted or time. At the center is the cross with tryside, the martyrs' sanctuaries were
sculpted on the brick or marble slab the monogram of Christ and the still regularly restored and embellish-
serving as its door, together with crown of victory. To the right, Christ ed by the popes.
other pertinent information, usually before Pilate; to the left, the Cyre- The Itinerary, guides for pilgrims
the day and month of death. Small nicfn and the coronation but with written in the seventh and eighth
terracotta lamps and vases for per- laurel, not thorns. centuries, show that devotion to
fume were often placed above the them was still alive at that period.
tomb, like the lights and flowers in 13 Sarcophagus from the Vatican Nearly all of them were restored
cemeteries today. The sombre galle- cemetery, fourth century. At the again in Pope Hadrian's time
ries in by the dancing lamp flames center, the Law being delivered to St. ('72-95). But during the first decades
must have made an impressive sight. Peter, who symbolizes the authority of the ninth century, reins were
A ruber type oi tomb was the ar of Christ the Lawgiver. Opposite transferred with even greater fre-
cosoluun. .1 cell lor the (lead hollow- Pi ,'t > is Paul, shown in a gesture of quency from the original tombs to
ed OUI of the tufa and often plastered approval and acclamation. At (St i hurt, lieswithin the utv walk Each
and frescoed, with a horizontal slab rides, tun rcenes in evident symbolic and ever) catacomb was therein
tor a lid ovei the grave surmounted connection: the xacriju < and doomed to extinction, tor the cult of
by an arch Arco\o/ta are most often the beginning of Christ's ordeal the martyrs was the sole reason tor
found m
cubicula, small rooms con- the tribunal of Pilate. continuing \rnts and regular restora-
stitutingfamiK 01 corporation vaults. tion The entrances to that
They arc- sometimes illuminated In underground world finallj vanished
pit-like openings in the vaulting the martyrs, which led the faithful to beneath subsidences of the earth and
resembling a skylight, which original- seek burial i loser to the sacred tombs .oi over gr owth of vegetation, and ex-

lyserved for the removal oi earth dur- as a mat guarantee oi salvation. cept tor a tew galleries, the catacombs
ing the cm .nations When came tO an end.
Initials ilute remained unknown until the six-
The catacombs were used as the became sanctuaries
catacombs teenth centurj when Antonio Bosio,
.

cemeteries until the early fifth cen- Immense numbers of pilgrims throng- "the Columbus >>t subterranean
tut) he IolossaJ development oi
i ed to Rome, the loh ( n\ from
I . Rome" (1575-1629), began .

some of them was due to the mil of every pan of Europe In spue oi the systematic investigation He located
about thirty catacombs, and after
him the number of new discoveries
rlj grew, Unfortunately, the
pillage 01 marble and precious objects
i as well. But with the founding
of the P< \ Ar
cheologu Sacra in 18*) 2. and De
Rossi's extensive research which
outlined a path tor further study, the
catacombs assumed their rightful
place as the most stirring and popular
of the monument^ of Christian anti-
quit]
The most important of the Roman
catacombs are illustrated in this
volume with a well-paced and pro be
text by Fabrizio Mancinelli, who pro-
vides notes 011 the Collection prepared
hv Professor Josi and shown here- in
ro Sam's splendid photographs,
taken tor the LstitUtO PotOgl
ot Florence .i!< aKo I

provides brief additiou.il comments / 6, nun art::

to introduce the principal buildings

of the cult those whu h. during the m thr i

Reign of Peace, lent to the capital <>f

the Kmpirc its new capital oiI

the ( hristian world

Rome. March -
St. John Lateran 53.73 meters wide and about 30 18 View of the medieval Palazzo dei
meters high. The width of the central Papi in Laterano. Fresco in the
nave was 18.73 meters and its length Bihlioteca Apostolica Vat nana.
90.55 meters. It ended in a 9.22
The basilica of St. John Lateran was meters deep semicircular apse pierc- and decorated by Leo III (795-816).
the first large Christian place of wor- ed by ample windows, and was The structure of today's Baptistery
ship to be built within the city walls. separated from the side aisles by a (19), on the other hand, is still essen-
Constantine, the emperor whose row of nineteen red granite columns tially Early Christian. Its original plan
Edict of 313 granted the Christians with beams above. It had a truss- was certainly round. The octagonal
freedom of worship, chose to erect beam roof, perhaps left visible. Light plan of the present edifice about
the basilica on this site near the filtered through a series of rec- 20 meters in diameter is the result
Laterani family residence, first of all tangular arch centred windows. The of restoration work ordered by Sixtus
because it belonged to him in fact, inner aisles
7.94 meters wide and III (432-40). Inside, eight porph\r\
the equttes singu/ares, private guard 90.23 meters long
were lower, and columns with beams above separate
of the Emperor, had their barracks took their lighting from a series of the central hall from the ring-shaped
there and secondly because its
, crescent windows; a row of twenty- chamber, once covered by a barrel
distance from the Forum would be one antique green marble columns vault, which surrounds it. There was
less likely to irritate non-Christians. set on high bases and connected by originally a dome over the central
The basilica, which rises on the ruins arches divided them from the outer hall, and eight semicircular windows
of earlier structures, including the aisles. These were even lower and for illumination. The present -daj
barracks of the equttes singu/ares, was less well-lighted, and much shorter tihurio dates from a restoration by
begun between 313 and 314 under (74.88 meters), although of almost Paul III in 1540. In front of Sixtus
the pontificate of either Pope the same width (7.69 meters). They Ill's edifice was an atrium in the
\Ult hiades (31 1-14) or Pope Sylvester ended in two rooms, 8.93 meters by shape of a forceps, now known as the

(314-35) and was dedicated to the 11.45 meters, which projected slight- chapel of either St. Secunda and St.
Savior. The dedication to John the ly on the outside, and formed a sort Rufina or St. Cyprian and St. Justin,
baptist and St. John the Evangelist of small nave transept. The basilica with marble and mosak ornamenta-
was a later addition by Gregory the walls were probably covered with tions, partly still in plate It had a
Great (590-604). In the north-north- marble and decorated with paintings beam-roofed portico supported b]
east area to the right of the basilica at window level. The floor of the cen two porphyry columns. The chapels
stood the patriarchate, residence of tral nave was antique gold marble, of St. John the Baptist and oi St
the pope as Bishop of Rome. The and the vault of the apse was covered in John the Evangelist, standing ^nc to
baptistery was built behind the apse, gold leaf the right, the other to the left of the
to the north west. It was the only one No visible traces remain of the Con- actual entrance, were built during the
in existence in Constantine's time, stantinian patriarchate. The present papacy of St. Ihlar\ (461-67) I he
and once a year, at Easter, the pope Lateran Palace w.is built in the days of vault oi the latter still has the mOttM
administered baptism there Sixtus V (1585-90), .is was the Scata decoration oi that time, with the
The basilica's appearance today dif- Santa edifice However, the lattei in- Mystical Lamb at its centei i*hc
fers from us early Christian form. cludes Early Christian st natures chapel Venantius came later. It
oi St
although Borromini's
baroque re- such as the tcrininm with .1 sixth- to was built Pope John l\
bj
structuring of the naves between seventh-century fresco representing ami decorated bj Pope rheodore
1 64(5 and 1650, commissioned by In- St. Augustine as well as medieval (642 I

Doceni X. substanti tllj reflet ts the structures like the thirteenth-centurj

proportions and disi ution of light chapel of the Sancta Sanctorum. be I 21 Plan
.md space m the instantinian adjoining Leonine Triclinium is the LatafUU. The \truitur( of the present -

basilit 20)
.1 ( I lie old edifice, like the architect Perdinando Puga's recon- basilica /> xboum m bU
present one, was built on .1 basilica] strut ni'ii (1743) of the dining-room nations, oj th< 1 1 ... ....

plan with five aisles {21), and was of the medieval patriarchate, built art outlined in brown.

10
19 Bapt: St. John U:
I the basilica, it stand*
on the remains of a villa of th<
,entun c\.D
structure

20 Fthppo Gagliardi, fresco showing

tenor of St. John Lateran, 1631,
'i

Church of S Marttno at Monti. It

a reconstruction of the
'to/ Constanttman hasilna. albeit
with a feu- inaccuracies, such as ognal
windows and arches, instead of beams.
connecting the columns of the central

11
 Gfottors

Proem BimIkj

St. Peter's * Wall of the "carceres" the starting lazzo delle Congregaziom Ron.
point for quadriga chariot races, now The visible part is 17.43 meter long.
in the subterranean portion of the Pa-

The basilica of St. Peter was erected make out images whose connotations a third, invisible, underground niche
by the Emperor Constantine and are clearly Christian. communicating with the tomb of the
Pope Sylvester to preserve the tomb From the end of the second century, apostle. The two upper niches were
of the Prince of the Apostles, over the tombs continued to spread south- separated by a slab of travertine. 1.80
which acommemorative monument wards until they covered the axis of meters wide, resting on two small col-
called the Trophy of Gaius had been the circus, which had by then fallen umns in front. The lower one sur\i\c-
built towards themiddle of the sec- into disuse. The most imposing of in today's "Niche of the Sacred
ond century. The memorial was call- them, was a rotunda with a forceps- Pallia", but the upper one, which
ed a "trophy" because the word shaped atrium in front, perhaps the had at its center a small embrasure
reflected the Early Christian belief first of its kind. It stood only a few communicating with the outside, and
that the saint's martyrdom was a vic- meters to the west of the circus may have been crowned by a tym-
tory of faith over death. The site was obelisk (removed by Sixtus V to St. panum, has perished with time. The
part of a pagan necropolis located on Peter's Square in 1586) and was entire monument was approximately
the slopes of Mons Vaticanus, not far aligned with it. Consecrated under 2.30 meters high During the third
from the Circus of Gaius and Nero Pope Symmachus (498-515) and century, two small walls were added
where, according to tradition, the dedicated to St. Andrew, it was later to the north and south of the lower
apostle was martyred in AD 64. The connected with the nearby mausoleum niche. The north wall has graffiti
necropolis (22) extended along the of Honorius at the southern extremity wnh invocations to the apostle. The
north side of the circus, from east to of the transept of the Constant inian niche and the floor in front ot it were
west. During the first and second basilica. Both of these mausoleums covered with marble, and the open
cent urics numerous tombs were built were originally destined to be the im- SpSU e w ith a mosaic
some of them Christian, and all perial family tombs of Theodosius. 1 he basilica was built between >2\
with south entrances facing the cir- The Trophy oi Gaius took it ^ name and about ^2<> to c reate a monumen-
cus Thej belonged to the families of from the presbytei who mentioned it tal setting dedicated to the memory
Wealth) treeclmen the Aeln. the foi the tnsitime m 200. It stood of the apostle, and to favor the
Aurcln. the aetenni, the Julii, the
( in the north-western /one oi the growth of his cull among the great
M.ircu. the Tulln. the Ulpn, and the nee ropolis,m an open space (( amp mass of believers In order to reate a i

I alerii Some oi these originally P) measuring approximately 1 meters platform tor the building, the ( on-
pagan structures were later decorated by meters; it was surrounded by
t stantiniarj atchitccts bad to bury the
In Christians, foi example the mausoleums and sepulchral ground necropolis and dig out part of the hill

Mausoleum oi the Julii, seen and and bounded on the ivesi by a red to the north In front ot the btsilka
described foi the- first time by the plaster-covered wall (27). stood a large rectangulai atrium wnh
c limine let. I iberio Ufarano, m I The monument, in the shape oi an porticoes inside, on the entrance side
at the same time ot thec bun h Bacadc In the center ot
In the i entei >>f us vault is a mosaic aedkula, was built
rep resenting Jesus as the Sun God as the ted wall, and consisted ot tWO the courtyard was the fountain with
.uicl OH its walls one can still nic lies cm avated in the wall itself and the bronze pineCOOe, now to be seen

12
22 Plan of the monuments in the
Vatican The strut::
art tbown in black.
poll, the emus, the Constantin
tan '
:h the tu
rotu I

the emus inJujUs tbi

tion of the obelisk, nou m U I'-

ve Reconstruction
probe samp.
the (

95 meters in width ifrom Ma

r, /V Constanttnun
necropoli
To the left, hills sloping Km
IS, to the right the mausoleums.

Peter's. Pre Constanttnun

necropol:
God in Mausoleum M of the Jultt.

in the Vatican Palace courtyard which

bears name. It waa protected In a
its

bronze canopj supported by tour

porphyry cohifflns and crowned In a
variety of objects, including the two
bronze peacocks currently on display
tn the new wing ot the Vatican
.im.
Inside the basilica were five aisles
separated by twenty-two columns ot
.is colors, with a beamed root in
the central nave and connecting ar-
ches in the side aisles Like their bases
and capitals these were spoil taken
from more ancient buildings The
five aisles led to the transept, and
then to the apse, with St Peter's
funeral monument (28) dominant at
the center. A marble parallelepiped
set off the second-century aeduula.
visible through a double door in it on
the nave side This coffer- like struc-
ture sat upon a marble-covered plat-
form which was raised a step higher
than the transept floor Above it wu
a bronze canopy supported bv tour
twisted columns Beam work con-
nected them to two more twisted col-
umns at the verv end ot the
situated
apse, which contained a vault
sed with gold leat The I

timan columns survive in the present

basilica, beside the niches in the
la pillars dedicated
:nus. St And' Iclen mm\
-roriu a
The central nave w. 4 s better lit than
the other aisles, thanks to eleven win-
in the upper pari of both its

walls and a double row ot windows m I/-.*

25 St. Peter's, Treasury. Sarcophagus fathers of the Roman Church and the Grottoesr, Sarcopha
of Junius Bass us, fourth century. Passion of Christ. The same concept gus ofProbus. end of fourth century
Above, center, the "Traditio Legis"; inspires basilica construction from the In the central niche, a beardless
below, the entrance into Jerusalem. end of the fourth century on, so that Christ with the jewelled cros^ m ///

The other episodes are, above, the the symbolic place ofJesus right hand and a scroll in His left
Sacrifice of Abraham, the Capture of the altar - stands right over the ill from :,

St. Peter, the Capture of Christ, an J tomb of the martyr, or includes part four rivers of Par. ,:nts Peter
Christ before below, Job,
Pilate; of his ret: and Pau. . .ie. In the
Adam and Eve, Daniel the Lion's m mcr, :he other apostles in
Den, and St. Paul led to his martyr groups o/ .

dom. The arti\t clearly intended to

unite the supreme sacrifice of the

1 i
 .

27 Reconstruction oj (.amp P The

spot over St. Peter's tomb in the
necropolis uas marked h) a monu
ment. in the shape oj m
Utd in the to tailed Camp P. a
cemetery zone u/
the i .
:Mn
mommmtml m <

id the monument ttan has tin a {ft

utuated on

A pollon;
 1 ,

with exedrac both to the north and to

the south hese were lower than the
I

transept, and the) projected hc\ond

I the walls ot the na\e and aisles
The basilua designed b\ the <

stantmian aicbitecti had \arious

functions it was an assembly hall tor
the population, a mar
resident
tynum. church and object of pil-
a

grimages, a covered cemetery and.

finally, a hall for banquet and funeral
libations. It had no fixed altar. The
first altar dates back to the time of
Gregory the Great, who raised the
presbytery thus concealing the tomb
of the apostle in the crypt below. The
faithful had a sign of its presence,
however, in the cibonum and in the
altar,which was placed directly above
the tomb.
The basilica of St. Peter was larger
fita than that of St. John. The atrium was
90.92 meters deep and its width the
same as that of the church, (

meters. The central nave was 90.95

meters long and 25.15 meters wide,
and the side aisles had the following
widths: 9.49 meters (outer south ai-
sle). 9.78 meters (inner south aisle),

9. 79 meters (inner north aisle). 9.21

meters (outer north aisle). The
transept measured 66.43 metcr^
16.82, the exedrae 10. 76 meters h\
16.82. The church height at the
facade was about 38.48 meters, but
the transept was little more than 25
meters high. Today the only remains
of the original basilica are to be
found in the so-called Vatican Grot-
toes, which are level with the floor of
the Constantinian edifice, and in the
necropolis below it Nevertheless a
fairly accurate picture can be formed
from various ancient illustrations In
the ivory bas-relief of the Pola casket.
dating from about 430, the Constan-
tinian disposition of the monument
to the apostle (29) appears with great
clarin A sixteenth cctmm tres^

Domemco Tasseili ( 10) shows |

tk.il section of the church, with the

naves ending in the so-called "divid-
31 ing wall", erected in LJ38 10 that
religious functions could go on while
m
30 Do emco Tasseili, Interior of the the facade Ii ended in a triumphal the new building was under construc-
Consuntinuti basilica of St. Peter's. .inli .ii the transept, whereas the side tion. Finally, drawing
.i bj Tasseili
Detached fresco, former/)- m the .iislcshad onlj two columns with dated about 1611, illustrates
I 'atican Grottoes, wow m the Sacristy. beams between. Ik- rootI over the the exterior ot the old basilica, with
central nave was pitched to both sides the atrium, the pincconc fountain
w Do memco I .; * 1/t , i )rau w^ u itb and over the two side aisles towards and the facade
the atrium j>. of the I the outer side onlj The transept, an
\tjntmun basilica of St. Pi: entity apart from ihe resi oi the
about l(i 1 . Hih/ioti . .
church, served as a nurtynum It was
I 'aticana. lower than the central nave-, ending

U,
San Sebastiano the Appian Wa\ Another similar,
but later, edifice found under the Aurelun U
basilica, the so-called VUU Pi
contains geometric decorations
The church of San Sebastiano. once characteristM of the wall panning of *

basilicaapostolorum, stands on the the time (3fl). Along the north wall nortl ith It
righ-hand side of the Appian ot the tirst villa and beyond it. at the a bruk ; two
about two kilometers from the edge of the hollow were . kjgus all

San Sebastiarm (J2). On the

. mausoleums also from the tirst ien- and
other side ot the road, lightly turthcr tury They lined the sides of small .t in the lentct
south, are the (in us ot Maxentius double tile
street in a the
and Romulus', tomb In an-
his son. towards the middle of the second
neiess^'
cient times this spot was a deep century, the bottom of the hollow funeral III

hollow, used as a pozzolana ROM earthed null i n

quarry and dubbed ad level open s -
tcts men
term which in modern times has below the present ihurih tl >r

come be a synonym tor

to "under- one side of it three mausoleum-
ground cemetery " Th- b of were built in idest but il

St. Sebastian originated in the is probabK the lied the Instead nun
galleries ot the abandoned pit pn> isoleum rib
bably as earU as the first CCntUTj and .
before 260 petf
was developed tow ards the north and i tearing
numb during the third CCntUfJ earth to raise tin

The oldest building in the atca 1 about 6 men

villa constructed during the tirst ien
turv. to the west ot the pit It i Paul was built
ncarlv square plan. .im\ the rooms
were arranged on two stories IXOUI leun
central COUfftjraidhe entrance I t The
null street, parallel to
 1

monument has been destroyed and

i. moot be reconstructed In the op-
posite wall of the- courtyard, not tar

fr>rii the southwest COCKf, was the

M>-iallcd "delta-cell ", a rectangular
exedra with an apse and two columns
in front of it Its original function is

unclear, but cvcntuallv it. too, was

used as a mausoleum.
The Harly Christian basilica (/>7) dif-
fered enormous)] from the present-
day church, which acquired its new
appearance during the seventeenth
centurj It was built during the first
half of the fourth century on the area
comprising the memona and the pre-
existing necropolis. Experts arc not m
agreement about the date of its con-
struction, but it was built somewhere
between 310 and 350. Perhaps it was
begun under Maxentius. If so, u
would be the prototype for the Con-
stantinian basilicas of Sant'Agnese
(Cf. p. 49), San Lorenzo and Santi
Marcellino e Pietro (Cf. p. 39). It had
the same east-west axis as the
memona and consisted of a central
nave, flanked by two small side aisles
joined by an ambulatory in the apse,
to the west, and at the entrance, to
the east. The U-shape of the whole
resembled that of a circus. A row of
pillars with connecting arches separat-
ed the central naves from the side
aisles.Ample arch windows lighted
the central nave, which had a truss-
beam roof and was 58. 30 meters long
and 13. 50 meters wide. The "-meter-
wide side aisles and ambulator,
received less light. The total length
of the interior was 73. 40 meters
A large rectangular courtyard without
porticoes connected the basilica with
the Appian Way. The initial absence
of a pavement in both the central
nave and side aisles is easily explained
by the earlier use of the edifice as a
burial place. It seems thai at least the
tni/ia portion of the third century
memona was visible U first [|

located in the eastern part ot the cen-

tral nave, where the basilica and
tricks were00 the same le\el. about
two meters below the western part.
which in turn was just aboui \ 1 c-
c-

with what is now the chuicfa Boot

Onlj afterwards, when the WMMo h
was complete!) buried, was the tTnu
Uniformly raised to id present level
Roman pavement of atacomb of St. Sebastian. Third The crypi ot Si Sebastian probably
j j I 'ten o) the I

"
\ppian Way. along which many I en tun graffiti m the '

trtclu" antedates the construction ol the

important COtOCOmbi are found. .;, uith invocations church, and must have originated
with the enlargement of the irn-
to the apostles Peter an J Paul. first

tur\ gallery a the catacomb, which

Lfl
 grew enormously during the CCntUfiej
that followed 1 he entfance BO the
DO different toda\ from
'flit).

what it vsas during the Middle \

is through a room whkh has alwa\s

Contained the tomb of the sjini i,i

whi)tn the church was eventually
dedicated Outstanding among the
numerous mausoleums lining the
southern flank of the basilua and all

creaed in the fourth lentim is the

rotunda of the L'rann (about
The Platoma mausoleum lies at the
ver\ end >'t the group, to die west
Tradition had it thai this mausoleum
was built In Pope Damasua
in honor oi the Prime- >t the- Aposdes
and decotated with the /...
marble slab mentioned in the /
a It

Ap^T*

J66

33 ( ;>j\tun I lieu

hi three mau

wstTuxhon (from I

m Pscim
" M9tmorit" of St Sebututm.

M
38 Catacomb oj St Sebastian. Wall the period, in which thi tonu
' '

ration oj the '

I 'ilia Piccola '. element* oj the Pompeian uith hr.:
about 230 240, Tins /> a typkat reduced to mere graphic tiotat; Mausoleum
ample of the ttjli \itiotj of

20

Catacomb of St. Callixtus

The catacomb "t Si Callixtus century popes were buried hcrr. in a the nun.
uvpi whose name telle* ts it i hui
Appia Arnica, 102) is the oldest of
tnul cemetery >>t the Christian com- certain points he- cenv
i iples

munity oi Rome he complex

I
isdeveloped on as many as h\e le\eK
originated in an outdoor burial area and its galleries spn
which, according to Giovan Battista ot more rhan ten Itil
oldest pan utuated to tally
Dc Rossi, belonged to the Cccili tl

tamilv It was named after the dcacOC the Appian W

( allixtus. who was appointed head of nd ccntui
the ceme tery under Pope Zephyrinus I fie catacoml
(199-217) and who, when h< the othel
himself pope (217-22), enlarged it ile. the r

greatly N>> less than nine third

 and Dc Roaai continued emvBttoai
In 1854, he uncaf thed the ( r\pt of
the PopCI >(i). rnmaining the tombs
i

of nine Pontiffs who reigned between

230 and 283: S< Pontiarj (230-3)),
St. Anterus 1 S! abian
1
\6 j, 1

l.uuus I (253-54), St.

Stephen s I Shrnu II
(254-57), >

x
(257-58), Dionysius (259
St. -

Feihl (269-74) and St. Eutychian

I

(275-83); and in 1856 he uncovered

Deacon Severus' hamber. Beside the I

popes lie three African bishops who

died during a journey to Rome: Ur-
ban, Numidian and Octatus. The
plan of the crypt is rectangular. A
skylight provides illumination, and
loculi and niches for sarcophagi line
the side walls. On the rear wall, a
marble slab reconstructed by De
Rossi bears an ode written by Pope
Damasus (366-84) in honor of the
martyrs and bishops there laid to rest.
In the cubiculum that Deacon
Severus had erected for himself and
his family with the permission of
Pope Marcdlmus (296-304). there is a
marble transenna or screen which has
an inscription (42) containing the
very first reference to the Bishop of
Rome as "Pope" (298). Opposite
Deacon Severus' cubiculum is the
cubiculum of the five saints |

with i fresco showing six figures in

,igarden full oi (lowers, their arms
outstretched in the typical attitude of
prayer. Each figure has his name in-
scribed at his side with the greeting.
"in peace". The fresco may be dated
from the beginning oi the fourth cen-
tury, and in it the so-called compen-
dium technique was used for the
figures, each one taking shape with
only a few, essential strokes oi t he-

brush .

One of the oldest nuclei of th<

( allixtus complex a the
cemetefj
41 Catacomb of St. Callixtus.
ctypi where Dc Rosai
of I in ma.
inilIcry with /oil///.
found the- traces which led him t >

discover the rest of the catacomb.

42 Catacomb of St. Callixtus.
Pope Cornelius lies here- He died at
Epitaph <>f Deacon Severus, in which
exile in Civitavecchia, and was
it /i written that this cleric, with the
removed to Si ( allixtus afterwards
authorization Pope Marcclltnus
of
On his tomb a the appellation,
../ a double cubiculum
"mamr", a Liter addition 1 he
with an arcosoHum an J a skylight
painting del orating the CTVpl shows
built to reive as tomb for himselfand
the Good Shepherd {45), an allusion
bis family. The inscription also
to ( n an earl} thud century
hrisi
it

alludes to the resurrection oj the

work, executed with i verj rapid
deadi Young Severn wilt Ha m this
compendium technique Also pan oi
house ofpeace until tbi -ores
the original cemeter) were the
to her hoi/y its immortal soul.
cubic nla oi the Sacraments, so called
because the) are decorated with paint-
ings alluding tO the baptism and the
Eucharist Among the mam Bubjectl taf
depicted in the hkfa date
rrom the tirst halt <t the third in :>

tur\ tOlia <>t lonah, the Mi ". in j kj-

o( the Spring in the Desert, the
sherman, the Banquet
ot the Seven Disciples at lake Tlbc

ing ot the Paralytic, the

sm of fesus, Abrahan
 ttmxomboj w Csltixtm fresco
aith the Good Shepherd in the
in j

46 Cstscomb oj \t Calltxtus
- .instil bant/uef in the
of the Sji raments. The scene
represented in this illustration could
hardly he taken for j simple pagan
funeral meal. It appears :
places in the Roman eatacomhs. and
although it vanes in form, it a.
contains the symbolic number of
baskets filled with bread, a detail
which is lacking in frescoes which
clearly depict a rcfrigcrium, or
funeral banquet. The baskets com-
memorate the miracle urought by
Jesus in the desert, when he provided
bread for the famished multitude. In
the Gospel according to Saint John,
in the famous discourses on the br d c

of heaven which abtdeth unto eternal

life, this miracle is explicitly con-
nected with the Euchanst. The other
part of that nte is represented by a
COtOt omb painter in the near by crypt
of Lucina. where a glass of red wine
has been set among the loaves in the
symbolic basket.

24
 . .

47 Plan ofth-
showing only the zone new
basilica of
ileus. 7/ in
Jtcate tk

The in bL.

in this j'
rest oftbi urea
I

.it right angit

of cubic ula Here, in .

part of the the , small,

nuclei

the bunal ground uas unr.

its

organization improve J. at:..

tion
But the croui/ing of
sub: :tl & Jt this :

to the desire oj
'ul for bunal in ti fry of
the martyrs' sane::.
proa:. ( cmng of
the tufa layers an J. a* a

logists generally find the crypt

of the martyrs bur.

I note] I
Q RMCJ :rnl Pjkjii \\f\

n Hypogcum >>t the Fkvi

|~|

Q 4th
Mh KOftJ
st>rr\ T \

Catacomb of Domitilla ning of the fourth, the bodies ot the I bete were probabb

martyrs NcfCUJ ami Achilleus were or women I galleries above the

placed m a irvpt 00 the third level It aisles The altar area was U
was transformed In Pope Damaam a se:

One of the most eztcoarvc under- into a small nttSOOXJ ciborium set ofl the altat
ground cemeteries in Rome, the cata- basilica, and enlarged to its present plan
comb of Dommlla originated with size (31 meters long rod from 1" to the ciborium. onl\ th
the establishment of several mall 12 meters wide) [48) between columns remain, with v
cemeteries on lands belonging to and $93 '

die end ''

martyrdom dr em
FLvia Domitilla and given hv her to ot the fourth centim. the basih, The enir\ tO the basilua f Sj
her frecdmen Its entrance lies be- which has now been rebuilt along the
tween Piazza dei Navigatori and the essential lines ot the original had
beginning of Via Ardeatina las. n I its upper part projecting at>o\e the the\
Domitilla. niece of Flavius Clemeoa, ground, and its floor on the le\el ot eighth >

OOOflll U '>. was indirect Iv the seiond R0C1 "t tTM

related to the imperial tarnib . tor her narthex Rood in front of the mam latri'

uncle had married Domitilla. met c ot edifice, whkfa had three aisles and
Vespasian 1 let ( hrisuao faith led separated h\ coUapaed jK-tha;

Domittan to exile her 00 the island ot umns with connecting an lies the
Ponza. where she died umns were plundered from during rtij^a
The catacomb was developed numb buildingi
on two levels onh rareh is there a central na\e thou Ix-h

third or fourth sn>r\ ot galleries and and I

cubuula ft) he earliest

I hristian
I ( re side iis!i
nucleus dates from the latter halt ot width its illumii
the second CCOtllC) Between the end
ot the third ientur\ and the fx-gin the
48 Basilica of Saints Nereus and
Achilleus.

49 Catacomb of Domitilla. Ar-

cosolium of Veneranda.

50 Catacomb of Domitilla. Christ

the Teacher among the Apostles.
Fresco, dated mid-fourth century
This decoration of an arcosolium in
the so-called crypt of Ampltatus
shows Christ, beardless, in the role of
teacher and surrounded by the
apostles. Two of the apostle figures
were unfortunately destroyed during
excavation of a loculus situated u

the lower part of the fresco.

fresco on the rear painted

lunette,
after 156, showsdeceased
the
Veneranda being led into the garden
of paradise by a young maiden, iden-
tified in script as St. Pctromlla
A large StaifCSSe Uniting the first and

Kcood levels oi the catacomb wai

discovefed in 1834 On ill wall a

fresco, dating from about the mid

ctte oi the third centuiy, shows
young sherphcrd holding I panpipe
a primitive wind instrument in
his hand, surrounded bv his tloc -
sheep and ranis, with tour hills
enclosing the scene in the I and '

ground The figure swnholi/es ( hrist, i

the G(x>d Shepherd of the p.uahle

(John lo. 1-16), as described on the
cippus of Bishop Aberuus now dis- } mboi of
played in the I.uter.ni Museum
landscape in the illustration i-
deme of this KNlfCC I he ho|\ shep
herd who leads his flocks t0 pasture
on the mountains and in tlie vail-
Catacomb of Priscilla hollowed hundreds of loculi out of ing the ceiling \ault .md the upper
the walls, but most of these were later part of the walls, and stucco panels
hidden by masonry added to prevent with marbled painting below On
the walls caving in. The oldest sep- the arch in the span b the Adora
first

Located at 430 Via Salaria, this two- ulchres are on this level, including tion of the Magi (Man hew. 2), s\m
level catacomb was probably named the Acili hypogeum and the so-called bol of the foundation of the church
after Priscilla of the Aciln. a sena- " Cappetia greca" (55), built before The oldest of all known illustration
torial family whose name appears in the end of the second centurj d the Virgin with Child appear
one of the- inscriptions in the Acili The chapel is a rectangular chamber there as well On the entrance wall
hypogeum on the first level. Ii differs divided by a large arch into two are the three Hebrews m the hen
from the catacombs In its
othei spans, the second having three great Furnace (Daniel c
origins, for it grew up on the site of Cliches in its walls, h was named the symbol ot faith, and Moses
.m arenarium, or pozzolana stone "Greek Chapel" from the two ( rfeek bringing torth w.uer from the rink
quarry, which had been abandoned inscriptions in the right-hand niche, (Exodus, 17, 6), a prefiguration of
.itier us entrance was blocked bj .1 with dedications bv a certain ( Ibrinus the Baptism On the side walls arc
slide on the Via Salaria side. ( hiris to III s-
cousin and companion Palla- the Healing of the Sicfc of the Palsj
tians began using the ample and ir- dms. and to Ins wife, Nestoriana 1 Matthew " J. Mark 2, 2; Luke V
regulai galleries 00 the first flooi of AgamM the left-hand wall is long
.1 1 symbol of penitence, and the
18),
the catacomb towards the beginning masonrj bench Hie second century stones of Susanna (Daniel, 1), 1

d the third century hej built about

I decoration consists >>t ornamental which symbolize faith in ^oA in the
twenti tombs am) niches, and frescoes and biblical subjects cover- t.ue of persecu tion and affliction the
 -

perfidious elders arc shown 00 the

leftattempting t>> ensnare the unfor-
tunate Susanna, while on the right
Susanna and Daniel otter up their //
thanks to God further on, next to
the entrance wall, is the phoenix d\
ing in the flames. lymboJ >>t the
resurrection ot the bod]
Above the apse nuhe in the
charistu banquet, the most impor-
tant theme trom an iconographual
point ot view Sitting at the table are
seven PCOOOS among them a woman ,

with veiled head At the tar left, I

bearded figure. dressed in tunic and
pallium, extends his arm to break the
bread [fnctio pjr/u). On the table
before him are a chalice of wine, a
plate with two fishes, and one with
tivc loau-s ot bread The composition
is bordered by seven baskets of bread.
three to one side, tour to the other
The chapel onto the so-called
faces
Cryptoportnus or underground por-
tico, a vast area with a rectangular
plan and a cross-vault ceiling m
masonry, Another in-
like the walls
teresting burial chamber, built after
the chapel, is the cubiculum of the
Yclati. decorated with paintings trom
the second halt' ot' the third century.
Its name comes trom a trcsio on the
back wall showing scenes from the
lite ot the deceased 5 s). who appears (

at the center with his arms raised in

an attitude ot prayer. (At Ins fcei is
the signature of an illustrious later
Intonio Bosh, 1575-1629), (

who discovered the Roman catacombs

and published the first scientific Main popes were buried on the tirst apostles ami Aquila and Pnva. the
studies of them). On the left a bishop level ot the catacomb Marcellmus couple often mentionr
his blessing at the dead man's I
rcellus I
-
and who were the titulars
wedding, while the foutfa at his side- S\ luster who lies m the 00 the Aunnne full
hands him the nuptial veil [flsm- small sd COrpUi basilica he had built
meumY the scroll in the bride's our the tomb ot St lelix and |
hands is the tabulj nuptults. a docu- Philip. I.ibcrius - :uius
ment enumerating marital duties ( destine I and
The woman as mother is shown on Yiglhus | S -.'-<><) I as well I he s (v ond
the right with a baby in tier arms. .(
level is quite different in character.
group which was thought in the past for its galleries, unlike the rasuallj
01 the Madonna and Child winding pas tie first.

On the wall to the left of the I 'clatio were designed in ordan e srith a .<< i

i is the Sacrifice ot Abraham precise plan it has two long parallel

and on the wall to
10). galleries with rami!

the right (V)) are the three Hebrews bone pattern, and the original m
m the Rerj Furnace (Daniel v trance was above gr< >ui

19*26), another most interesting large Rairwayi fie foui I Ul

iconographies! representation; in h a ground connections between the

with a branch in its lenes ot the :

- are lain
beak as symbol ot diune interven- ditions M
tion The vault has a painting "t the
Good Shepherd at the center and a
cule of st,.ries ,,f Jonah i lonah 1. to tradit

1-15) dens and conten

 Ir-T -

56 Catacomb of Commodtlla. The

basilica of Saint Felix and Sjint
Adauctus. The two martyrs are por-
trayed on the central tomb, and they
appear six times more in frescoes
decorating other parts of the
catacomb as well. Saint Luke, the
evangelist, is painted on the pillar to
the right, with a surgical instruments
bag hanging from his right arm. This
isthe first time that the saint is por-
trayed with doctor's insignia. The
fresco dates from the reign of the
Byzantine Emperor Constantine IV
(668-685) according to an inscription
in the border which frames the
figure.

57 Catacomb of Commodtlla.
cubiculum of an employee of the
"annona" the revenue and food
supplies administration . whose
name was Leo. Bust of Christ, 1st*
fourth-early fifth century. Th.
among the first of the bearded tm
ages of Christ.

Catacomb of Commodilla

Rediscovered in 1903 by the Pon- these martyrs, at the foot of the cd hands; to the sides arc the saints
tificiaCommisstone di Archeologia original entrance stairway, was built Felix, Stephen and Merita. At the
Sacra (Papal Commission of Sacred during the Pontificate of Siruuis rear of the crypt, to the left, is a large
Archaeology) it had first been
-
(384-99), who enlarged a pre-exist mi; sixth-century fresco (58) ihowing the
sighted in 1720
this catacomb is sacellum. It has an irregular plan, Madonna and Child seated mi a
located at 42 Via delle Settc Chicse with two arcosolia and two apses, one richlv ornamented throne, to her left
and takes its name from the owner of of them on the right. The wall are Saints Felix and AdauctUS, who
the land, the matron Commodilh frescoes were painted at various arc introducing a deceased woman
I martyrs Felix and AdauctUS,
Ik periods.To the left of the entrance, named Turtura a "turtle d.
Merita and Ncmcsius arc buried here. above the tomb of St. Nemcsius, is as the inscription below s.i\s, both in
Felix was was being led to
a priest I lc tlu- fifth centurj image of a trjdttm name and in deed.
the place appointed for his death Javiurn ( 79): at the center a beardless
when Adauctus, i stranger, came to ( hrisi, simn^ on a globe, holds out
meet him, and declared himself a the keys to St Peter, whose hands ate
( hristi.ui lor this, he was put to veiled; on the right, St. Paul holds
death with the priest. The crypl >>f the sirolls of the law in smiilath veil

to
38 I lb of i tills.
I nna enthrone J u ith Child an J
with Saints Teltx and Adau

39 ( " of ( ;:lla.
Delivery of the keys
scene repre\e>.
by opening the gates oj
kingdom of heaven :> :he Ma J. in
accordance u ith /

Gospels. This is its meaning in fourth

''
. . //

lustrations. But. "

depicted in :> mb of <

modilla. this meaning had he en lost,

and the scene had acquired the
solemn tones appropriate
representation of the conferral of
hierarchical authority over the
members of the Church. b<
Christ is the apostle Paul, shown
bald, with a black pom: in a
number of
I i

(les rest upon his

The fresco decorates the tomb
martyr, js evidenced b\ an tnscnp
tion to that effect on a painting
b comes from one of
'tying layers <>f pic tonal work.
The martyr was probably Adaucttn
 60 Catacomb of Praetextatus.
Winter, represented in the Crypt
the Seasons. The fresco, dated'fourth
century, decorated the ceiling vault
of the crypt of St. Januanus, located
in the Spelunca Magna, where four
overlying tiers are painted with
figures alluding to the
flowers for spring, wheat for summer,
grapes for autumn and the olive
61 Catacomb of Praetextatus. Christ
of and the Samaritan woman, in the
cubiculum of the Scala Maggiore.
The fresco, dated beginning of the
third century, is part of the
Chnstological cycle decorating the
walls of the cubiculum at the foot of
seasons: the stairway. The surviving episodes
are the Healing of the woman who
had an issue of bloodfor tiu .

harvest for winter. the Resurrection of Lazarus, and

another scene which has had a variety

of interpretations.

Catacomb of Praetextatus

Situated at 11 Via Appia Pignatelli, Januarius was buried here, as were the Spelunca magna, a large gallcrv
i catacomb was named after the
his Saints Felicissimus and Agapitus, and whose lumbers have masonry cn-
i

original owner of the land, who may the martyrs Valerian, Tiburtrus, Max tranccj
have been a member of the Cecili imus and Quirinus. The catacomb is Above the cai.uomb there are two
family. It dates as far back as the sec- composed of several original!) museums containing pagan and
ond century, and originated in a separate nuclei, including the so- Christian sculptures
pagan outdoor cemetery, not tar from called Scala maggiore area perhaps
the villa o! I [erodes Annus. [UtOi t the oldest of all, decorated with
the sons of Marcus Aurelius. St. frescoes of the life ol Christ - rod

32
 1

Catacomb of Via Latina a Christian interpretation, also a

characteristic medieval ( hnstianot
art and thei harai terot thccpigraphs
):

The last two factors ha\e led other

This catacomb was discovered scholars to suggest earlier dates and i with his hand pressed
cidcntally in 1955. during construc- There are twelve frescoed hambers m

tion work in Via Dino Compagni. this catacomb, each conve n tionally ing
Father Antonio Fcrrua. S.J. directed designated by a letter ot the alpha h a lamb. Ai\d t

the excavations and had the finding bet. According tO lather I errua. wit!
published. The present entrance it a the paintings nu\ be divided into
simple trap-door in the sidewalk near tour groups, with all the ftcJCOCS a m
Via Latina. The catacomb was given cubiculum belonging to the H old
not meant tor the Christian commu- s.une group the fir* group is in
nity. It was built tor a limited num- cubuulum A. the second in cubuula
ber of families at least the tour H and the third in chambers IV
( .
I c lot bed in Au
who seem to have commissioned the and and the tourth in th<
I .
the

paintings decorating the chambers, cubic ula lettered trom H I

and perhaps one or two more cording to the Italian alphabet,

The painting were done at ditterent which has neither 001 I

times within a rclativcb briet period. I he wealth ot new elen tain

placed b) lather fcrrua between ed in the icon

and J50, whereas the initial coostxiM -
ingS is extraordinary and the K(
tion ot the catacomb is dated about tten modelled on |

U5 These dates were based 00 tour heretofore unknown Cubicuhun H

.issituation ot the IfchitCI .ins illu

took elements. discover) oi tWO (

number ot i >M 1

stantmian moOOgnfflt; the presence In the vault of the

hath*
oi main pagan themes albeit with i cceolium
 hum of the HUDC I ubuulLiii.
is I. n>t)' s Dream i( ttOCUM 28, 10-13)
Tins episode, and all the- omen in
cubkunim H ue completely new to
catacomb painting Only the Cain
and Abel episode appears in MOM
Mucopnagui decocatioa as well.
In the left-hand niche of eubuulum
i
the tight . a fresco (6*6) with the
Sacrifice of (Genesis 22. 1-14)
Isaaj
shows the voice of God stopping the
hand of Abraham, armed with a
knife and raised against his son.
Below, the servant, next to the ass,
awaits his master's return; this is the
first time that this detail appears in
catacomb painting. The Resurrection
of Lazarus (John 11) decorates the
lunette and part of the left niche of
the same cubiculum (67). A beardless
Jesus, rod in hand, is surrounded by a
crowd of at least eighty people.
Lazarus' tomb is a sort of in ant is
temple, with a long flight of stairs
before it. Above is Moses receiving
the Law (Exodus 24, 12-18) and to
the right, the pillar of fire (Exodus
13, 21-22); these two episodes also
appear for the first time in this
catacomb. During the Middle Ages it
was common practice to combine Old
and New Testament episodes, but
here the connection is unclear.
In the rear lunette of the right hand
arcosolium in cubiculum F is a fresco
representing Balaam (68). This
episode too is drawn from the Old
Testament (Numbers 22, 21-23) and
shows Balaam astride an ass on the
left and, to the right, a bearded angel

brandishing a short sword. In he- t

center a tree stands between the two

figures. In the lunette of the ar-
cosolium at the back of the
cubiculum (69) is another episode
without its like in ccmetm painting
Samson Smiting the Philistines
(Judges 15, 14-16). Samson can be
recognized by the ass's jawbone in hsj
right hand; on the let arc the tenor* i

Stricken Philistines in flight ami

the- right, the- temple where the hero

met his death he New testament I

episode of Jesus .uul the Samaritan

woman at the well (John 4, J-8), in
the- lunette- ot the left-hand IT*
I OSOlium seems almost to
[70)
parallel theBalaam episode- bicing it

I jtjiurnh of Via Latma. Lot in <mh of 'u Lstms.

I /.;, lesus. youthful ind beardless, jj
flight from Sodom. CubiculuM B Prejw. Cubiculum H clothed m a tuna rod pallium, while
the- woman is wearing I shorter tunu .

with I losed shoes and earrings

An alleged Anatorns 1 eSSOfl i

depk ted on the lunette 11 the bai k o!

M
 1

Ttx
.-.

m F

the ripht-l..
chamber I .

Witt'

with, in 1
 everyday life alluding to the profes-
sion of the deceased man buried in
the sarcophagus below. According to
the last interpretation, it is a lesson in
anatomy, and the deceased is the cen-
tral figure wearing only the pallium

and surrounded by his colleagues and

disciples.
Cubiculum N is a large square
ilumber with a rOSS-vaull (.filing At
i

the comas, tour tufa columns with

ionic-style marble bases and capitals
support tour triangular pediments
resting on three large corbels. The
side walls are taken two deep
up bj
Bicosolia ami the rear wall gives onto
cubiculum O. Unlike the latter.
which is frescoed with stories from
the Old and New Testament.
chamber N H dedicated cniirch to
the myth oi Hercules his obvtousrjI

pagan theme is interpreted in i

Christian sense, and the hi
69 atacomb oj Via latina. Samson
( 70 Catacomb oj Via Istina. Jesus sionally shown with I halo. is seen as
muting the Philistines with an ass's ami the Samaritan woman jt the a savior, with the acceni placed on
jawbone. Cubiculum F, There were well. Cubiculum I
'
I >
may faith in human survival The tWO
two other hth/uj/ tcenes with the also be interpreted as the .//'/<.; most important episodes appeal in
\tan oj Samson in this catacomb, of theAngel oj (.'Oi/ to Hagat the lunettes tl the back o{ the at-

painters may have wanted to handmaiden oj Abraham, .// tbt COSolia in the one to the left . AlcCStis
establish j biblu il counterpart to in the wilderness otters n> sacrifice lur lite tor that ot
Hi n nits, the pagan Godoj strength. wand the dying Admetus while, in the one
to the tight {74), Hercules leads
Akestis back from Hades. Behind the
hero is Cerberus, guardian ot the pit,
and on his right Admetuj waiting,
lance in hand, in a house with raised
curtains On a wall inside the right-
hand anosohum is Hercules in t he-

garden of the Hespcridcs ( 72). In this

portrait, unlike the others, the hero is

shown as a beardless youth His chlb

is leaning up against a rock and his
left shoulder is covered by a Neme.m
lion skin On the left is a serpent
perhaps an allusion to original sin
winding its body round he torbid- t

den tree, instead of the dragon ot the

legend. But in the legend it was m
\tl.s. not Hercules, who Role
the golden apples from the garden ot
the Hespendes
On the opposite wall of the nmc
'hum. Hercules kills the H\-
71 I

dra (73) Here the hero is naked in I

bearded, and less youthful than in

the garden ot the Hespendes The
other episodes depicted 00 the walls
a cell are HcfCUleS and Athena
clasping hands, and HefCUlcS killing
an enemy On the vault garland
wheat
a veiled allusion to the
rewards of eternal lite set ofl the
ribs mm\ torm rounds inside whuh
Ctipida harvest and reap the
 mb oj I '/./ Latina, I 'ieu oj ary tcene, tymbot
right hand arcosolium oj might also \erve to instruct Chris
Cubicu/um N. Notice h mtar Hans, just as other pagan myths must
chitecture oj this chamber. In :nly lini ,
of < ///'/</

lunette, Hercules rbown bringing

is and Psyche, example, jnJ the
for
the In-run Alcestis back from Hades figure oj Orpheus, tht must
to her husband Admetus, for whom
edsacrificed her life The legend
 ly Ruins oj the
'

Helen, also called I '

(Pot Tower) because amph<

pots lpignatt<
the a utlt

Catacomb of Saints Marccllinus and Pctci

The site of this catacomb at 641 Via Gorgonius. and tor Manellmus and ccnturv ami in 1 VM tin

.

Casilina formerly Via Labicana Peter. There were further transforma- description of the monument
was once called ad Ju as lauros, which tions and embellishments in the fifth peared, b\ Antonio Bomo There
indicated not only the cemetery area, Century, and in the sixth as well, up been several excavation the
but a vast estate of the emperor's in- to the Pontificate ol Hoooriui I end of the last centurv and present
cluding the catacomb and bounded (625-38). times He
by Porta Maggiorc. Via Labicana, Via The monumental complex which tween 1896 and I

Prenestina and Centocellc Another Stood above the subterranean DCCro- Dcuhmann s in |

name for the area was ad. S. pohs was ( onstantmian. and und
Helenam, because the mausoleum of built by order of the emperor It con- - in 197'
St. Helen once stood here, whose sisted of a large ccmetenal basilici
ruins i~5) alone survive today. On ending in a portico, with a narthcx in idea ot ns original appearai
this where the Equtics \in
spot, front mnCCted to the man I he basilica's fui
gulares, guard of the Emperor, had oleum onstantine had built
that ( dimensions were ..

had their necropolis from the set -

tor his burial A sarcophagus had
ond century on, a Christian catacomb even been made, but the rni|

arose during the latter part of the moved tO ByzantlUD, leaving

third century It provided a final both tomb and mausoleum empty
renting place for the bodies of the They were later used tor M Helen, lorr: the hi
numerous Christians martyred during mother .mtinc I he
Diocletia: BOOH First of all cophag
. : .
.
ptun
there were Saints Marccllinus and porphyry, has OH all tour sides high circus. with '
u

Peter, who gave the catacomb its relief decoratioOJ representing urul the
name, then St Tiburtius torious Romans and barbarian pris lentral n-
nius, and the Four ( row ocd oners In 1 1 S - ransfetrf buildm.
ind finally thirtv CM I
tn and reused In 1

unknown martyrs In the COUfl asms IV but

the fourth icnturv. the man itremoved to the Vatican in I I 80
CTVpCI were enlarged and embellish- and it is displayed ther-
ed, and Pope Damasus rntmr Museum
ted B Special monumental setting I he basii I it w,

he irvpts of hburtius and pertct tl\ well known in the

 about C. NO meters highi bv a row of
pillars, rectangular in hmhhi. with
Connecting arches he- wall painting I

was marbled and there was no Boot

the ground was complctch
OOfCfed with tombs The entrance
was in the south wall of the narthex.
whkfa was encompassed bv the na\e^
alter the imperial mausoleum had
been built to the cast.
Standing before the mausoleum was
an atrium, 28.40 meters long and
9.50 meters wide. It had three large
openings communicating with the
adjoining basilica. The mausoleum
itself was over 25 meters high and
had a circular plan with a diameter of
27.74 meters outside and 20.18 in-
side. It was illuminated by a series of

large arch windows and was covered

In a low. flattened dome. In the walls
were seven niches, alternately semi-
circular and rectangular The one on
an with the basilica was destin-
axis
ed for the imperial sarcophagus.
Many other mausoleums were part of
the complex, some of them isolated,
others backing against the south wall
of the basilica, and still others either
inside or backed up against the rec-
tangular porticoes which were con-
nected to the basilica's north and
south sides at the height of the apse
and narthex. But of all these, only
the mausoleum of Tiburtius has sur-
vived. The basilica is dated at about
320, and the mausoleum of St. Helen
between 324 and 326. The portico is
earlier than either.
The catacomb frescoes, dated be-
tween the second and fourth cen-
turies, illustrate stories from the Old
and New Testaments. On the vault ot
one of the cubicula discovered during
the excavations oi 1913-15 H mid- *

third-century cycle of stories ot Jonah

(Jonah 1, 2). At the center o( the
vault is the Good Shepherd and all
around, alternating with praying
figures, is Jonah thrown to the whale
(78), Jonah at rest, and ]on.ih
vomited out of the w hale The tourth
episode oi the scries has been
destroyed. In another cubiciilum
the frescoed episode Oi Noah and the
dove (Genesis s. 11) shows the patri-
77 arch coming out ot the ark in an atti-
tude ot prayer; on the left, the dove
Helen, kept in >i struct ion of the basilica of branch in its beak
arrives with an olive
the hull in Sainti Mavcellmui juJ Peter, with The chamber of Nuetonis. another
the Pin Clementine Museum in the two colonnaa wot in discover] ot the excavations of
I 'atican. front j nartbex communicating with l
l
1 ^- 1 *>
named after its probable
mausoleum Si Helen
'
owner, has m the rear lunette ot the

ariosohum a fresco ot the mir.ule ot

 .

in us
and Peter. Jonah thrown to the
ue.

)mb of .tnus
and Pet, ;nd the dove. The
flood is illustrated h<
simplicity In the biblical u
-a ting :>

church com mum:

una

f*
 81 Catacomb of Saints Marceliinus
and Peter. Daniel in
the Lion s Den.

82 Catacomb of Saints Marceliinus

and Peter. Moses bringing forth water
from the rock.

83 Catacomb of Saints Marceliinus

and Peter.
Original Sin.

84 Catacomb of Saint* Marceliinus

and Peter. The Baptism of Christ.
This illustration is based on the
liturgical interpretation of the an
cient baptismal rite, which uj
complished by total immersion :>.
fountain indicated here by the
naked figure and which inc.;.

various other rites as well, such .;

laying on of hands by the officiant.

shown in the painting.
which descend from above statu ' i

the light of the Holy Ghost

presented in the form In
ancient tm
firmation UHU adm:< im
mediately after baptism.

85 Catacomb oj Saint* Marceliinus

and Peter. Christ enthrone* i

the Mystical Urnb. I St.

Pi :< md V- PjuI. .;

f
our most importan:
of the catacomb. r are
\\.r\ellmus ana Pi 'nar
tyn ' ' < ' "'

nan; : im
mediate ..urn.
Tiburftus lies in the grow;.; .

tell I
;rt j. but
...
42
the woman who had an issue ot blood
twelve vcan i Mark
25-35; Luke B,
J,

d, having wwfrhfd tin- gar-

ment oi Jesus, was healed of it (80).
On the left the woman presses tor
ward to touch the Savior's clothes.
while Christ, on the right, turns
about in surprise- at the unexpected
touch. Some date the painting mid-
third-ccnturv. others later, between with the long rod m his right hand (Gcncsil lam and :

325 and J50 The image ot the prophet resembles ked. are shown covering ll
The tomb called the "Den of thai of a ( ireek philosopher, and pfob> with two latge tig-lea\ev whilr
Daniel'' takes its name from the ablv derives from I classical pro- indicates the forbidden tree with the
biblical episode (Daniel 6. 16-24) il totype Some date it during the latter serpent her tempter. Mill wound
lustrated 00 OQC oi its wall- halt ot the third century, others be about i- Inothei tree on th<
the center is the voting and beardless tWCCfl ^2S and )50 'he chamber is ser\( tie as v.,
prophet, his hands raised in a gesture not tar from NicCfOTUS'f and it. too. freSCO also dates from ll

raver, identified bv the script was discovered during the e\c .nations the fourth centur\
re his fiead Two linns at his sides. ..t 1913-15. In the vault of tl.

each with a paw raised, draw back Another baptism illustration ap; otue 1k-I:' main the
before him According t<> father in a trev 'ing from the first the martyrs of the catacomb t hr
rua. win) discovered it during the ex- halt >>t the fourth centurv It depicts a late fourth cen:
cavations ot 1958, this fresco should the baptism oi ( hrist i Matthi ably dei
be dated at the end of the third ten 14-17 Mad \ apse mosax
tur\ John 1 I he Redeemer is tiers

In the tomb known as the "( .lumber shown at the center. VOUthful and ( hrist seated 00 a bs

of four Seasons ", | cycle oi

the beardless, his feet immersed in (he with
frescoes with tour biblical stones sur- waters of the Ionian the side in c witli !

rounds the entrance door he\ in- I left is the dove symbolizing the Mob
clude the miracle oi the loaves and ( rhott, with a sen-
the fishes, Job. Noah in the ark. and forth from its beak in a shower upon hill

Moses bringing forth water from the the figure ot ( hr ist Nothing remains
lock (2) The last scene (Exodus 17, ot the figure ot the Baptist 011 ihe
deputed beside the ROT) d
I right but a hand, tirmb place
Noah and like prefigures the Hap
it the head of thf N

tistn Moses bearded and dressed in ( )n the \ault of another c ham be I

pallium and sandals, smites the rink is | vene deputing

Cocmeterium Maius 86 Coemetenum Mains, Lata
with the Madonna ami Child.

This cemetery,not far from the tury. It too has a chair, which in the since the nineteenth century In
basilica of Sant'Agnese, has its en- nineteenth century was thought to its funeral dwellings are architectural-
trance at 6 Via dell'Asmara. It is have some connection with St. Peter. ly quite elegant, its epigraphs cngr.n -

called " maius" or "greater" to In the lunette of the arcosolium of an ed with great precision, and its walk
distinguish it from the Minor early fourth-century chapel, not far richly decorated with frescoes.
Cemetery in Via Nomentana at from the actual crypt of St. Emeren- Recently, a new martyr's tomb was
number 222. The name is ancient. It ziana, is a painting which represents a discovered there, in a great staircase.
appears in St. Jerome's Martyrology, veiled woman, richly clothed, her But researchers have not been able to
a compilation of testimonies on the hands raised in a prayerful gesture identify the inhabitant of this highly
lives of the martyrs
though, (86); before her is a child,but only underground shrine,
atypical for the
because St. Emerenziana, foster sister its head with two Constantinian Maius Cemetery martyrs are distin-
of St. Agnes, is buried here, the monograms at the sides has survived. guished by .i singular characteristic:
catacomb is often called by her name. Some interpret this image as a they always appear as a liturgical
The martyrs Papia, Alexander, Felix, representation of the deceased group in pictures, epigraphs and do-
Maurus and Victor lie here as well. woman with her child. Others see in cuments, because in ancient celebra-
The catacomb, quite long, stretches it the Virgin and Child, but por- tions in their honor, they were all
out on two levels, and has an trayed with an iconography new to commemorated together As a result,
underground basilica of sorts and third-century catacomb painting. Or- finding which of the mamrs
out
numerous crypts planned for re- dinarily, the Madonna was shown as a is buried in am
one of the fitest
fngena or funeral banquets. These full-length figure, seated, with the or engraved tombs is a \erv difficult
are decorated with third- and fourth- baby and there were nearU
in her lap, undertaking indeed It seems that
century frescoes, and provided with always other figures around her the crypt named after St r'mcrcn-
chairs hollowed OUt of the tufa, thir- people at prayer and Old Testament /l.iti.i contains the remains of the
teen of which have been found In I li.uac ters Hut here onl\ the bust of martyrs, Vktof and .Alexander.
addition to Old Testament episodes, Mary is shown, and she is alone with
the frescoes illustrate such themes as the child. At the borders of the
Christ giving his blessing, the faithful lunette are two praying figures, one
at player, and the Good Shepherd. male and one female
One of the more interesting r\ pis was
i Although the much smaller, near-ln
erroneously believed to be the place m
Minor Ce etery has not even been
where St. Emerenziana was buried excavated yet, the Maius has been the
about the middle of the third cen- object of constant stud] and research

ii
Anonymous Cemetery in ,
mom I u
Anspo. i j mi the /;

Via Anapo gpost

This one of the Via Salana ceme-

is the right, again young, ihort-haifcd
teries, but
its entrance is between and beardless (*S fu usual in third
numbers 2 and 4 ol Vw Anapo. It was centur) ftescoes), wearing the tuna
once held to be the cemetery of the and pallium. He extends the selfsame
iani. the most famous of the rod until it touches the grave of
burial sip ^.ilana and eclipsed Lazarus, whose bod) can be seen in-
onK bv the Catacomb of Prist ilia, side, bound hand and toot with
but recent findings indicate that it gravedothes.
is another private ceme tery, The In the second cubuulum arc Jonah
was made accidentally, in
crv cast forth into the sea. and Jonah
\')2l. and published by Enrico Josi. at rest, in the third. Abraham's
In the cemetery are five chambers sacrifice, the three children in the
>ed with New and Old Testa- tier\ furnace, and Christ with the
ment subjects The decoration is twelve apostles In the last-named
dated the end of the third century
at panel (8 ">.
which decorates the ceil-

In the first chamber, together with ing vault, the young ( hnst is seated
paintings ot Daniel in the I. ion's in the tenter, surrounded In the
Den, the Mirat le of the Spring, Noah twelve apostles, none of whom are
in the Ark. a praying figure and the distinguished In in) pankulai iym-
Good Shepherd, there is an illustra- bolual or character traits All the
tion ot the Miracle of the Loaves and figures were mused in the fresh
fishes (Matthew I, 13-21; Mark 6,
1 plaster beforehand
i; uke 9, K)-r. John 6, L-1J).
I. In the fourth and fifth nibuula the
Jesus is .t youthful, beardless figure. scenes thai were illustrated in the fust
clothed in tuna and pallium. seen two lumbers reappear
c the ;

ding the long, mir.n le-workmg ing figures, he- st.-nrs oi lotuh and
t

iod resembling Moses rod towards I he other

the s<-wn baskets of bread purel) ornamental do
Another fresco in the first lumber i or none at all

shows the Resurrection <>f

I a/anis, narrated in the ( >ospel ac cord
ing to St John ill. 1 16) ( hnst is on
 .

90 CatjLnmh oj the Oordem l' r J)

mg figure, about the middle of the
fourth centun TJUl freuo n in the
m
to b OJ a woman de/'h fed here in jri
attitude oj pra\er, with her rjjme
GRATA written on the ochre fan u
above her head. She uean a long
tunic, which has sleeves ana .

Hon oj "clan" or purple hands. To

the sides are a series of scenes of salva
tion: the Resurrection of Lazar:.
the left and. to the right, the Three
Hebrews in the Fiery Furnace and
Daniel in the Lion 's Den.

91 Catacomb of the Giordam. Richly

dressed praying figure. The part of
the arenarium pit where this fre^
found had already become a
cementery by the end of the third
century, as evidenced by a medallion
of Numertanus (283-284) which is
still in place in the lime which
seals the tomb. This painting ma)
have been done later, during the
first part of the fourth century The
great precision evident in the facial
portrait seems to indicate that an
attempt was made to reproduce real
physiognomical traits, a rare occur
re nee in Roman catacomb painting,
although it was quite frequent in the
catacombs of Naples. In Rome, the
praying figure usually stood for the
saved soul in general, and had no
connection with the decessed in
dividual. In fact, prayerful f I

figures decorate men 'j tombs,

men at prayer can be found ok
tombs of women. Only on the tombs
of children does the figure at /
frequently appear as a child of the
same Ogi 61 ti ./. gged.
i .
i

Catacomb of the Giordani

Identified during excavations in cemetery lands, the body of Daria, a Maurus, and in one of its rooms u.,v

1966-69* 'his was previously believed converted vestal virgin slain during the painting ot two facing tiguu
to be the catacomb of Thraso, named the Valerian persecution (257-58), prayer, one ol a bit h is here rcproduc-
thus after owner. Its entrance is at
its and that of her husband Crisantus lie cd (9/). Above the figures are two
the corner of Via Salaria and Via buried
at least according to tt.idi stories of Jonah ami MoSCS striking
1 bid, while the true hraso catacomb
I tion. A satn tu.irv CO them built in the the ro.k

entry lies at 1 Via Yser. In the past erenarittm was much worshipped
this cemetery deepest of all the during the Middle Ages. Liter, most
Roman catacombs, with its five layers of the tWO martyrs' relics were moved
of galleries was alto named Villa to the basilica ol Santissimi Apostolj
Massimo It includes pan of t vast The same jrenanum also contained
jrenanum pit in which, outside the a hov mariw named
the sepulchre of
92 Catacomb of Pamphilus. Bone
statue mounted in one of the
catacomb loculi. It was evidently a
personal object, and must have been
placed on the tomb to enable the
members of the dead man 's family to
recognize it, since it did not have the
more usual and costly epigraph.
Many tombs, the poorer
especially
ones, have signs like these for iden-
tification.

93 Catacomb of Pamphilus. View of

a funeral chamber.

Catacomb of Pamphilus

Situated in the Via Paisiello section and a two-storied catacomb with a are graffiti with the nanus oi !

of Via Salaria Vecchia, beside the mezzanine level. The tombs on the presbyters, and ,i marble slab con-
Church of St. Pamphilus, this second level were found intact, and taining an inscription lettered in poi
catacomb takes its name from a mar- decorated with a variety of objects, phw\ A nuhe in the adjacent gallery
tyr whose story unknown. Other
is such as ampullae, terracotta lamps. has a seventh-centun image oi the
martyrs, Quirinus and Candidus were coins, gilded glass and statuettes Madonna with Child, accompanied
buried here as well (92). The indent crypt consisted of .i bj the words DEI GHNI1KIX
It has been known of since 1594, double cubiculum with an ar- Another funeral lumber {93\ dating
i

when Antonio Bosio and Pompeo cosolium at the back, against which from the fourth century, has whole
Ugonio visited some of the first level stood .m altai original!]! covered with series oi geome tric-floral frescoes,
galleries. A new portion was slabs of pavonazzetto marble .iinl and the figUR Oi the Good Shepherd
(liMDvered by Giovan Battista Dc porphyry. To the right oi the r\ jm is
i shown in a round oi the vault
Kdvsi in 1H6^, but the most impot- another arcosolium with, tt its ex-
urn excavation! were directed bv tremities, two chairs hollowed out oi
Enrico Josi in 1920. The cemeterj was the tut. which may have been used
i

composed of an area above ground lor the TtfrigertMM rite On the walls

18
 .

Sant'Agnese fuori lc Mura

This great cemetery complex is com- The actual basilk but it

posed of the basilica of

Sant'Agnese the result of a rec onstruction In i
whether tins I

fuori It- Mura (Si Agnes outside the I [onorilU It stands oa the thf second structure
Walls), the monumental remains <'t side of a hill sloping down to the It thirty mftfrs to the
the so-called Coemetenum north west, towards the valle\ where the ..

and the Mausoleum of Si ( onstan- Piazza Annibaliano now lies The calk
tia. Under the basilica and in the sur- apse above races onti ncn- circi.

rounding area lie the extended tana, while the racabV

lown long
galleries of a vast catacomb, acciden- towards the vallej The edifice b meters high
tally discovered in 1863*66 and partlv built into the hillside, cutting thf ruins of the
naticallv excavated during the into the galleries ot the pre-existing wall
last century The cemetery a divided omb In fai t. the ground fl which it ended (< thr *
into three main networks a 1 in direct contact with if her. structure
them are even older than the to be precise, with the tomb i I rant
buildings of the monumental com- Agnes, who \c.i- martyred during
plex, all of which Constantiman
arc Dei ins' third-century persecution
and were erected, seems, on an
so it The upper story, with galleries runn-
imperial property The first network
.
,
ing above the side aisles and the
to thf kft of the prcjcn basilii i the*, has a small bridge in [I

the oldest It is dated between the the apse which communicates with
end of the second century and the Via \omcntana
beginning of the third The second I be basilii a oi Honorius' time st;

network, which branches out from on the site <>'.

behind the rnesc almost entirely buried in tl

towards the Via Nomcntana. dates the hill Tb mil

back to the third and beginning of raneousl) with the ( onsiantinian
the fourth centuries The third net- basil
work connects the basilua with the of the saint, and its h
ileum of nd is locatt unki
the most recent, dating from the the pWJCn i choir 1

fourth and fifth centuries The

cubicula of this catacomb arc not ..11 basil*
but numerous in* riptionf, tur\ Iheie are bu
graffitiand funeral) objects have these two bull I

bffn found in them remains

 p.ned with tombl < )ther similar struc-
tures .ire the Hj\tli<.j Afxntolorum
todaj 'i s .m Sebasriano (( p 17). I

the Basilica "t Sand Marcellii

Pictm l( B J9)
t that "f -* r i i

I orenzo, all oi then cerm

basilicas or i"< r/jt/cru uiblegljtj,
literally sheltered cemeteries, destin-
ed lor fuiur.il icrcmnmcs and
cspci i.ilU tor t he- refrigerH ritei
Judging tn)m documents, the
'utt-num Agnetis. unlike the
others, seems to have been supplied
with a baptistery, perhaps as earl\ as
Const.mtmian times, hut icrtamh bj
the fifth century There was an cntr\
to the great mausoleum named tor
St. Constantia (96) at a point in the
south aisle of the basilica somewhat
beyond the facade wall. The
urn mausoleum was erected in about 350
mstantii
as a sepulchre for the bodies of the
daughter of Constantine and of her
sister. Helen. It is a circular building,
and originally had a surrounding por-
tico, a rectangular atrium in front oi
it. and two apses at its sides. Twelve

double columns with composite

capitals and connecting arches divid-
ed the interior into two concentric,
95 areas. The ring-shaped outer area is
22.50 meters in diameter and has a
barrel vaulted ceiling with mosaic
decorations. One of these (98)
represents a scene of pagan dcriw-
tion. with youths harvesting, carrying
and pressing grapes: the theme is
profane, but the sense is dead)
Christian, and probably refers to the
Gospel passage (John 15.1-P) in
which Christ compares himself to the
vine and his disciples to the beam hes
Three large niches were hollowed out
of the perimeter wall, and in the one
that need the entrance laj the sar-
cophagus of Si Constantia (97), now
displayed in the Vatican Museum.
The side niches are decorated with
two much-restored mosaics showing
the /rjt/t/io Ugh and the /r.;..
cbnurn. The central room. 11 -
J

meters m diameter and 19 meters

high, had a hemispherical cupola
supported bj a high drum, whit h was
pierced bj ample arch windows

50
95 Plan
merit oj \ W Agmu '//'

nanus, tf

tta. and the still exutent strictures

of tr .nttntan
indicate J The r< Ptu* IX
jrtj the >:jiruj) leadf:
from it to the k nu s

basilica, are \boum in

at :>

shaf
tmun structure is the small
tUJr,
in Z95-; Shnne\ oj this tort a-

the
in cm :

basilicas
lltnus an J Peter, the
- unless tht ,

funeral harhjii

96 Mausoleum of St. Constantta

U of the in ten I

97 3.. us of St. Constantta. in

the i 'itine Museum n
\ at:.

98 Mausoleum of St. Constantta

Mosaic uith the grape han

SBS
San Paolo fuori le Mura 99 Interior of the basilica o]
Paolo fuori le mura.

The basilica of San Paolo fuori le was finished under Honorius in was 24.22 meters, its length 8 -

Mura (St. Paul's outside the Walls) 402-03.The new basilica was created meters and its height JO. 77 meters
stands on Via Ostiense, two kilo- to give the tomb of St. Paul a The inner side aisles were 8.96 meters
meters from the Aurelian Walls and monumental setting, as had been wide and 16.22 meters high, the
the Porta San Paolo. The present done Constantinian times with the
in outer ones. 8.88 meters and 11.65
edifice is a reconstruction (1825-54) basilicaof S. Peter which was, in meters. The depth of the transcp-
il building destroyed in the
the many ways, its prototype. In front of 24.20 meters, its width 71.01, and its
fire of 1823. It has maintained the the edifice on Via Ostiense was a height 26.81. The atrium was 66.80
design, the dimensions and, in part, large porticoed courtyard. Inside, meters wide and 59.08 meters I

the surviving structures of the older five aisles separated by columns with Twenty-one windows flooded light
church. The quadriporticus on its connecting arches led to the tran- upon the central nave, and the
WCSt front was built ex novo between sept, which was continuous, as in transept was illuminated bv twelve
L890 and 1928. St. Peter's, and slightly projecting arch windows and twelve round
In pre-Theodosian times, perhaps beyond the outer walls of the side but the apse and side aisles had DO
under Constantine, there was another aisles. The apse to its east was stately, outside openings
small basilica on this site, built ovei .i wide as the central nave. The funeral Not much is known of the original
Gist or second century monument. monument to St. Paul was not mosaic decoration of the basilica,
which was the tomb and com- located on the chord of the apse, as which was completely redecorated
memorative monument oi the apos- was us twin in St. Peter's, but on a with siucco and frescoes under Leo 1

tle Paul. The ruins of the apse, spot quite i nave

lose to the central 61 More important work WSJ
)

brought to light during the excava The column shafts were- plundered clone under Gregory $90-604 who I I
I.

tions of 1850, show that its orienta- from oilier buildings, but the capitals raised the transept level h\ 90 cen-
tion was the reverse of that <'f the pre- were specially prepared, composite in timeters and created a new Setting for

sent chun h In )8 1. or perhaps the central nave. ormthian

( in the the tomb of St Paul, building above
on the- same site, the three reigning side aisles I he dimensions of the it. among other things, the principal
emperors, TheodoSfUJ I. Yalentmian basilica were magnificent, surpassing altar of the basilica. The addition ot a

II and Arcadius began the construc- those- of all the other hasilnas ot its baptistery i
s attributable to Pope
tion of a new. large basilica, which time Ihe breadth of the central n.ne Symmachus

52
 ;

1U0

Santa Maria Maggiore m

Mjhj Mj

Towering above the summit of the tween 1741 and 1747, and parti) of windows, stucco niche
Esquilinc hill a the basilica of Santa modifications in the apse area carried sau panels ill.. :ient

re, dedicated from the out during the Romanesque period stories 1 he ..

first to the iheotokos" Its facade is rtheless. the- aisles still look ver\ netted BO the triumphal l

set on the peak of the hill facing much as thev ongmallv did, 1 he lighted b\ five bu
south east, and its naves extend north fifth-century basilica, like the present

All the
along an artificial terrace. A one, had three ii.i\cv the central one
excavations some old. ending in an ipse According to the although thei
some recent have located the re- lihtr Pontificslis there time between the nuking of

mains of several pre-existing Roman quadriporticus in front, but no t

-

the side walls and that

structuresbelow the present build- of this structure have been found l\ later tellows on the ll

ing Inpast a connection was

the tie total width of the building in-
I

thought to exist between Santa Ma- cluding the perimeter walls was about 00 the left wall. S1

ria V ind the basilica built 35 meters he lentral I I

ght

according to the / ihiding the apse, was 7 Vi meters m 1 he latter

b\ Pope (3)2-66) tuxU

I.ibenus length, between 17 S meters jnd be I if

lum But according

l.tvue I
r 60 meters m width, and 1
-

cent studies, there is flo link what- meters m height at the point where
soever between the two buildings the ceilnu hen as I i

The construction oi Santa Maria S separated EPOCD the aisles b\ tw rhc

is placed between 400 ami columns On each side hesr had 1

and its completion ihorth before or ng hcigi idei

during the Fontifuan III - led by l

who is credi ted with having nee ted In a classical archm

fathered the church Bordering the ar. h window
The appearance oi the building i the architJ
is partly the result of restructuring DJ ( ormthian upit.i
the architect Ferdinando Fuga Ik- with the columns below
 101 Santa Maria Msggion. M
with Moses banded over to the
Pharaoh 's daughter.

102 Santa Mana Maggiore. The

crossing of the Jordan.

tral nave {102) shows Joshua leading

the Jews across the Jordan (Josh..
15-17). Below, the same panel
depicts the Jewish warrior sending
two spies to Jericho (Joshua 2.1) The
mosaics triumphal arch
of the
celebrate the Counul oi Ephcsus
which proclaimed the dogma
I,

of Mary's diunc motherhood. The

mosaic artists, with wonderful skill.
sought to express this sublime at-
tribute. The- Virgiii is always accom-
panied by i retinue oi Angels in the
evangelical scenes illustrated. All oi
the episodes regard the infancj v>t
fesus .it t cr the Annunciation comes
the Adoration o\ the Magi, the
Presentation in the remote, the
Flight into Egypt, and the Slaughter
of the Innocents. The cities oi

[erusalem and Bethlehem are shown

below At the enter oi the licfa H the
i

Rope's dedicator) inscription, "Built

In SixtUS the Bishop tor the people oi
God" I he Pope was Sixtus III

1()2

54
 .

Santa Sabina

The basilica oi Santa Sabina, stand- present-daj two Altogether, the hri.. , nun w this
ing M the top oi the Auntme hill basilicawith the narthex is name for his nourishment ft

with one Hank facing the Tibet meters long and 24 BO meters wide : the
valley, south-west /nofth-easi
has a wo rows ot twenty-rout Corinthian
I
poor, poor tor himself Having shun-
orientation and was built on a series columns with connecting arches ned the good th

of pre-existing structures, some oi separate die side aisles from the cen- lite He well desen i the
them paraalfj encompassed In the tral nave, which is lighted b\ a scries gift of the future lite' To the
new edifice One of these old struc- mple arch windows set m line are '

tures is the lacadc <>t an insula type with the intercotumn Three great the ( lunch's origil
Roman house with a shop on the openings, also with centered arc lies, on the l<
'

the
ground floor, which was incorporated illuminate the apse, while the win- hook of i lie I
the
10 the perimeter wall oi the basilica's dows the side aisles ate smal
in tight, the ( hurch with that of the
south nave Another, part Mm h oi the interior decoration n{ the iginalh v

building sometimes identified as the fifth centurj bafilki has been lost Paul and th

titulus of Santa Sabina and extending trie/e the incrusta-

in the same north-easterly direction tion marble
is survives m the
nt The wiHKlen dool at (I

as today's church, was used to make central nave

lOOTC the l >nr c the central n.<

up the outer wall of the narthc

and shows | masoni) curtain sur the same time
the south.'. mounted In a tasua with rounds. either cedar oi
The basilica was restored to its earU rauarcs and rectangles Aligned with on b
Christian appearance during the pre- each column is a militar\ insig
sent centurj It was [unit during the symbol "t the triumph "t t hrisi and rectangul - ifv

Pontificate >>t ( elesrinc I

| 122 \2) In His faith throughout the Empire
a Dalmatian priest, Petet oi lllwia. t
remains oi the dc i 'ration

and finished during that of SixtUS III above, hut it i.h. ma\ haw heen in the smaller
The plan is quite simple. ila\ in which

with a central nave ending in an apse. t he (

cut into sIujh-s that \ ItlC

and two side aisles In n>nt of the t follow the lines ..t the pattern .:
facade is the narthex that OOCC had tUie Also in the central r

two side entrain es from the parallel large moss inscribed with the held 10 lx-

streets flanking the basilica to the church dedication rhc Latin

ras the Vicm :\Itu\ enm. now destine ha. I the
gone, and to the east that of I supreme apostoln
\ustn. todaj \i lina through all the world
Leading to the interior ot the church Bishops I Ins

were three doors instead oi the

Home
104

source of the large panel composi-

tions is the rotulus or illustrated roll

miniature, that of the small panel

decoration is the codex or bound
book miniature. The panel with the
crucifixion {105) is the oldest
sculptural representation of this
theme: triumphant over death, a
bearded, wide-eyed and halo-less
Christ stands between the two rob-
bers; there is a mere hint of the
presence of the crosses, and the
figures are naked, except for the

104 Interior of the basilica OJ SjritJ subligaculuni round their loins. In

Sabina. the background are three Stylized
buildings. Another panel illustl
105 Santa Sabina. Wooden door: the three of Christ 's miracles, all taken
s
Crucifixion from the Gospel Recording to
John ( 106). The marriage d c ana (2,

lO(i Sunt j
Sabina, Wooden door. 1-11) is below, in the center is the

three of Christ 'j miracli miracle oi the loaves and fishes

1-15); and above, the healing of the
man f/ho was blind from birth r>.
1-33) On the back of the dooi
seriesof floral motifs inspired bv the
botanical treatise d Dioscorides, an
Alexandrian physician of the tirM
century. In 1836 the dooi was
restored.
10h

36
 fOg

108 tsmo

Santo Stcfano Rotondo

The church of Santo Stcfano Roton- three concentric

circular areas en- ed colonnade.
do, rising on the slopes of the Celio closed by a perimeter wall whose tated the outer area from the
with its entrance 00 Via del Celio, has diameter is 65.80 meters The exter- middle one and created a ')
40 EM
at various times in the course of the nal uea, 10.60 meters wide, suffered whir in ular navi
. -*'ng

past centuries tem-

been taken for a the greatest damage Origmallv n was with tfie radial chapels
ple, a macellum
or ancient market divided rymmetricalrj into eight light from the Is in the
.and a basilica. It was built hv tions. four located 14 each of th< diagonal
Pope Simpluius between 468 and dinal poina and tour at the diagonal coJonnaoV nty-two 1

rated with mosaics and to them ThcfC were eight entrances umns with l>ean,

marble incrustation! In Popes John I into the diagonal sections, and the', the nave in the middle
and Felix IV between 52 S and 530. led into curvilinear covered pa- rotunda in the center
rtunatcly the decoration is lost parallel to the outer wall and diameter
to us tod Stcfano Rotondo communicating with the four radial II the same Its ||g|

had no resident clergy, and probably chapels which occupied the cardi- twentv V*
depended for them on St John nal sections In each of the diagonal hour which the r*>l

Lateran. Although no rein has e\er sections towards the under the ceiling
been found nor the presence oi MM interior of the edifice, was seated
documented, the martw worshipped hv the urvilmear em:
c
were alig

here was sue Stephen BO and in thest perhaps coin'

whom, after all. the church OnCC open-air coumards there an altar in thr

dedicated. were elegant .Vrlian three-mullioned

The original structure can still he opening communicating with the
gnized in the present edifice radial chapels he I r the
despite the r.. Mine and the chapels was higher than that
modifications and restorations .>: the diagonal sec lions, giving tl
centuries The plan I tOS) COnSfi ing a cruc irbfl]
Santa Pudenziana 109 Basilica of Santa Pudenziana
Apse mosaic with Christ th,
among the Apostles.

The basilica of Santa Pudenziana, tion of decorative work on the Palestine. The portico might corres-
located in the valley separating the church, of which the mosaic is the on- pond to the Anastatian church in
Esquiline from the Viminal hill, has ly surviving part, to the period of Jerusalem, and the monuments
its facade fronting on Via Urbana, Pope Innocent (401-17). I behind it to the basilica on Golgotha,
the former Vicus Patricius, and its The mosaic (109) shows Christ en- to the Imbomon on the Mount oi
apse on Via Balbo; but its ap- throned in majesty with the apostles, Olives, or to Church of the
the
pearance, transformed by ceniurv who form a semicircle around Htm Nativity in Bethlehem. A great
after century of restoration, is no He is clothed in purple and holds in jewelled cross
rises on a mound
longer that of the basilica built in ear- his left hand the book inscribed behind the Redeemer. At its sides, in
ly Christian times which was DOMINUS CONSERVATOR EC- heaven, are the symbols ol the tour
itself the result of the renovation, CLESIAE PUDENTIANAE, while evangelists eagle. OX, lion and
begun about 387-90 and completed
in His right is raised in an oratorical angel. The mosaic has sutfered
in about 398, of two pre-existent gesture. The Savior is represented ac- repeated damage, the worst of it dur-
Roman buildings, a mid-second- cording to a scheme clearly deriving ing restoration of the church in 1

century house and a thermal basilica. from the Imperial iconography oi Two apostles and the Mystical Limb
It is the only example in Rome of a Christ the King, which is associated are missing. It has also been restored
Civil basilica put to religious pur- with a theme very common if] the many times over, in the sixteenth and
poses. The house may have been the tilth eni ur\ (that of Christ .
seven teenth centuries in fresco, in the

old titu/us of Pudcns. If so, it would Teaching. To cither side of Him arc nineteenth in mosaic, and as a result

explain why the writing on the book Peter and Paul. Behind them two almost the entire right-hand side has
held by the Savior in the apse mosaic female figures symbolizing the been redone in tact, all that remains
refers not to the hypothetical St. . t \ circumcisions and tin of the original is the overall composi-
%
Pudenziana or Potenu.uu. but to .
ex gentibw .ire shown placing tion scheme and the head oi
an equally hypothetical Roman sena c row ns on their heads. At the Savior's Peter
tor named Pudcns, friend to the feet the- Mystical Lamb stretches us
apostles, who made his home into .i head towards the dove, symbol oi the
church. The s.ime .ipse mosaic had Holy Ghost In the background, i
.mother inscription, lost to us todaj curved portico with some buildings
It gave the donors' names Hums, risingbehind it among them a

Maximus and Leopardus and rotunda and an octagonal edifice

made possible tO date the complc-
it m,n \er\ well represent hol\ plaCCS m

<>*
 u

Santi Cosma e Damiano no

miJK

The basilica of Santi Cosma c Da- ground Figures of the donor. Felix seventeenth centur\ rcconstlUi
miano stands at the edge of the IV, and St. Theodore, both iden- and probably a faithful one of
Roman Forum, beside the basilica of tified in script, and two palm s\ m the image destroyed in the sixteenth
Maxcntius. with its present-day en- bolizing resurrection In the fittCSS century when GrcgOT) XIII had it
trance facing on Via dei Fori Im- below, the Mystical Lamb, symbol of painted over with the figure | I

periali the original one was on Via Christ, is shown beside twelve sheep. I rregorj tfac v >reat

Sacra. Since pre-existing Constanti- representing the twelve apOStlci 1 be The mosau 00 the triumphal arch
nian civil structures were used to con- general theme of the mosait is the was completed later, during the I

struct the basilica, ii cannot initially NbuesUu Domini Its representation, t it pus and I. I>ctween <<
K
>2

have been a cult edifice. The rotun- linked to the apcxalvptic theme of ~oi Here too the theme represented
da, serving as entrance to the great Christ the Judge appearing on Judg- is the apocalypse, but the referei
hall and apse, is Constantinian as ment Da\ was to become erj dirCCth tO the Ke\elat: ofafl

well. The transformation of the popular during the Middle h the DnrinC 4,3 At the center
i I

building from civil to religious use- albeit with a difterent icOOOgfaphj side r shield, is the |ewelled

took place under Pope Felix IV In this typically Roman form, typical throne, and upon h W nal

(526-30), who simply decorated the also of Latham, the reference is to the Lamb with the cross l

apse with a mosaic whu h is still in its

. following Gospel ton (Marthc* he on die footrcSI still

place today It represents Christ ( 110) 30) "And then thej shall see the side are the seven lewelled lamps Ol*

d upon a ladder of clouds, in Son of man coming in the clouds of fire, four angels, and tl

golden robes, with the scroll oi the heaven with power and great glof) the evangelists Mow thr

Law in His hands Below, on the ( )\er the centuties the mosau has mf. lour elders dressed in white

banks of the Jordan, the river of fered great damage, and repeated raise tlu

redemption, and surrounded In restoration, espet during UM

iall\ hands
scenetv not terrestrial, but rather Hlg< tcenth and seventeenth centuties
gestae Paradise, s t Peter and Si The renewed portions include the en
Paul present to the Savior the two tire left-hand area with leliv IV and

titular saints the church

oi the lowet pail of the figure oi

mai and Darnian. in whose

St ( osmas beside it. as well as part of

veiled hands are the crowns which the figure of ( hrist. and the u|
s\mboh/c their martvrdom The >t the half dome with the hand

scene H completed b\ the of the Btemal lather Mix l\


777
Pio Christian Museum
The museum is housed
building in the Vatican, erected after
1963 by the Passarelli brothers to con-
tain the collections until
display in the Lateran Palace, which
Pope John XXIII had decided to
reappoint the seat of the Vicariate.
The collection is essentially
created by Pius IX in 1854,
entrusted Father Giuseppe
with organization of the sculptures
and Giovan Battista De Rossi with
that of the inscriptions, though the
new arrangement is the work of
Enrico Josi, assisted by Father Umber-
to Fasola. The gallery of Christian sar-
cophagi, the richest and most impor-
tant collection of its kind, makes it
possible to follow the chronological,
iconographical and stylistic evolution
of Early Christian sculpture for at
least 150 years, until the new custom
of burying the dead beneath the
floors of cemetery basilicas came to be
adopted in Rome.
The sarcophagus represented
most luxurious form of burial. It was
a rectangular or oval shaped casket
covered by a lid, either pitched in two
directions like a roof or flat,
tablet for inscriptions in the center.
and with scenes sculpted on lid and
sides drawn mainly from the Old
and New Testaments. The favored
episodes from the latter were miracles
showing the Savior's omnipotence
resurrections, healings, and the
miracle of the loaves and fishes.
Father Marchi put together
Lateran collection by reconstructing
the mutilated and truncated sar-
cophagi in the Christian Museum oi
the Vatican Librarv, and In having
others transferred from Roman chur-
che$, hasiluas and catacombs to the
new site In the present display, the
77/ Pio (.hnstun S\u\eur>.
stone of Seberus
112 Pin Christum Museum,
cophagus of the Three Shepherds.
113 Pio Christian Museum. Oval or
tub shaped sarcophagus
114 Pio Chnstun Museum Dog-
'
matic sarcophagus.
'
sarcophagi still have their old inven- tween two trees, with a ram on his
tory numbers, which are listed in the shoulder and two more at his feet. He
Museum catalogue published by J. is shown turning towards a veiled
Ficker 1894 and in F.W.
in woman in an attitude of prayer. A sec-
in a new Deichmann's Repertonum of 1967. ond woman beside her is seated, with
One inscription, on a gravestone a scroll in her left hand, and her right
(7/7) of the First half of the fourth hand raised as she converses. On the
then on century, has a graffito with the name left,rwo men in philosophers' dress
of the owner, Seberus, and a cask on are engaged in a discussion; the one
the left representing his trade. In the in the center is seated, and holds in
center, enclosed in a stylized laurel his hands a partly opened scroll. A
that wreath, the monogram of Constan- sun dial can be seen behind. The two
when he tine appears, with the letters of the seated figures arc held to be the cou-
Marchi .Apocalypse GO and A, the end and ple who commissioned the sar-
the beginning, to the side. A par- cophagus, which was found in 1881
ticularly interesting sarcophagus in Via Salaria, near the mausoleum of
(7 72) with decoration on four sides Licinius Peto, and purchased by Leo
has, on the front, three shepherds XIII in 1891. Most scholars place it in
standing on ornamented pedestals, the period of Gallienus (253-60).
the bearded central figure carrying a The "dogmatic" sarcophagus (7 74)
ram on his shoulder, the beardless is so-called because the reliefs on the
youths on either side of him each front, the only side with decoration.
with a ewe. They are dressed in short are of profoundly religious inspira-
tunics with gaiters and boots, and tion. They are arranged in two tiers
carry the shepherds crook and knap- Above, from right to left, are: the
sack. The
surface between these creation of man and woman by the
figures crowded with the represen-
is Holy Trinity; the Savior giving Adam
tation of a wine harvest, at which and Eve means of sustenance after the
winged genii clamber up the vine sin; a Cltpeus with busts of both the
the branches to pick the grapes and place deceased (only sketched in); the
them in a vat for pressing, shown at Miracle of Cana; the Miracle of the
the bottom right. At the top. Psyche loaves and the Rcsurrc\
and fishes;
rushes off towards a resting genie, tion of Lazarus. Below, from left to
with a with a basketful of grapes in her right: the Epiphany; the Healu .
hands; another genie is milking a the man who was blind from birth
goat at the bottom left. The decora- Daniel in the Lion's Den; Christ pro
tion of the sides of this sarcophagus, phesying to Peter that he should den)
in two tiers, symbolizes the tour Him thrice; and the Capture of St
seasons by illustrating the work that Paul and St. Peter. The s.tr,.opl
typifieseach of them. The back has a was found in 1838 during vcork 00
transenna-like decoration with scale the foundation of the baldachin of
moths. The sarcophagus was found in San Paolo fuofl le Mura. and is dated
the the Vigna Buonfiglioli near the latter halt of the fourth ccntim he I
cemetery of Praetextatus. to the left Epipham also appears on the right
of the Appian Way, and dates from side of the lid 01 I now tragmenurv
the latter part of the fourth centUT) saicophagui (7 75). On the a
Another oval tub-shaped SaiCOphagUa were the ntratuc into Jerusalem, the
I
[113) has a KUlptUfC with two Deliver] of the Law, and Christ
crouching rams to the sides and the before Pilate The SaiCOphagUS, from
Shepherd in the center be-
I
the latter part of the fourth ccrmm.
//.
 MhXAN IMPACL

//og&._.

117

//J P/o Christian Museum. Frag- twelve apostles surrounding him. lower part of the tunic and the legs
ment of sarcophagus lid with Adora- Twelve sheep lie at their feet. As have been restored. The piece was
tion of the Magi. background to the scene, two young part of the Mariotti collection in the
shepherds are shown moving among I.ateran Museum since the eighteenth
116 Pio Christian Museum, The flocks of sheep and trees. This sar- century. In the second statue (118),
gravestone of Alexandra. cophagus, of the second half of the from the second half of the fourth
fourth century, comes from San century, the shepherd holds a gnarled
117 Pio Christian Museum. Sar- Lorenzo fuori le Mura. and knotty stick in his hand. The im-
cophagus with Christ and the Completing the collection are a series age of the devotee bringing offerings
Apostles. of casts of particularly important to the also cxairs m pagan
temple
pieces not belonging to the museum, sculpture, forms similar to this
in
118 Pio Christian Museum. The a mosaic portrait of a deceased couple- But these statuettes have a different
Good Shepherd. coming from Agro Verano and meaning, and the image clcarlv refers
donated by Benedict XV, and a bell to Christ ai once shepherd and Lamb
.

119 Pio Christian Museum, The from Canino in the province of Viter- (John 10. 11- 18)
Good Shepherd. bo, dating from the eighth centUTJ The epigraphies! collection created
and held if be the oldest example of bj IV Rossi is on displaj in .i section
this instrument. There are also two c losed to the public and dedu ated cx-
OOOiea from the Vatican necropoli. statuettes of the Good Shepherd, clusiveh to scholars Mere, inscrip-
On a gravestone, also from tin- fourth both accurate!) following the dese rip tions 01 various origin .ire united in

century, {US), the deceased is por tion in the Gospel passage (Luke 15. an organic grouping The collection
trayed ai the centei with her urns 1,5) bey portray
I curly-haired . includes the inscriptions accumu-
i. used m a gesture >( prayer, while a vouth, dressed in a short tunic belted lated in the Storage rooms of the
dove presents her with .i crown The ai the waist, with i lamb on his Museum and the Vatican Librarj
inscription ALEXANDRA IN PACE shoulder In the older statuette ( / /
n ), at let the Pontificate of Pius VII. those
appcan at the side. A last sai dating from the first half "f the corning from the excavations ai Ostis
cophagus (117) re prese nts youthful
.1 fourth century, the shepherd has a and from research explorations of the
( hrisi dressed as a shepherd with the knapsack thing ova his back; the catacombs, those from Aero Verano,

62
 donated bv the municipality
Rome, and those found In IV Rossi
in various mmiumctio, churches and
chapels At a later date the collection
wjn enriched b\ a group of Hebrew
inscriptions De Rossi divided the
material into two groups, classifying
one luscriptk
a pcecious
SOUfCC >'t primaiy material tor the

historian of i brisdanity ami ic cull

monuments during the first centuries
. anil c he other hucriptk I

toe a selection of monument-

cording to their importance The first
group \wn divided into inscriptions
regarding sacred buddings, their
revenues and their donations, and in-
scriptions in praise "t the martyrs
The latter was again subdivided into
three groups, the first one chrono-
logical, containing inscriptions whose
dates were certain, until the ycai
the second dogmatic, including
epigraphs with formulas which ex-
pound and illustrate faith, discipline.
ecclesiasticalhierarchy, civil condi-
tions, and family; and the third
topograph Kill dividing the material
,

-ding to the Christian cemeteries

of Rome from which it came. Dc
Rossi's classification has been
respected, as tar as possible, in the
present arrangement of the material

IIS
 GLOSSARY persons were entombed This MUM
also given to Kveral catacombf
AEDICULA Small building often in the
shape of a classical temple, coveting .1 LOCULI. Long, horizontal cavitiei
statue <>r .i pn lure hollowed "in <>f thr catacomb walls our
nop the other, which held (or;
ARCOSOLIUM. Sepulchral monument
made out of an VCD or a sarcophagus, MARTYR Y burch construe trd over the (

fitted into a niche thai generally has a tomb It can DC distinguished

"I .1 martyr.
senile miliar vault. from the basilica because it thrayi has a
central plan.
BASILICA. Edifice on a longitudinal axis,
consisting of a central nave separated MEMORIAL Sepulchral monument built
from two or four lateral naves by rows of over the tomb of a martvr or a Mini
columns. It is endowed with an apse and
often an atrium or narthcx. Employing a NARTHEX. Transverse vestibule
ItfUCtUK originally used by the Romans preceding the facade <>f the basilica and
for civil purposes, the early Christians consisting of a colonnade or a quadnpor-
adopted the basilica plan for the centers ticus. Unbaptized Christians were permit-
of their cult. ted to enter into the narthcx.

CUBICULUM. The bedroom in a Roman PALLIUM. Part of the liturgical dress

house where the children and the servants reserved for Papal use, the pallium is a
slept. In the catacombs, it was the crypt or narrow band of white material that hangs
chapel, which opened from the sides of down over the wearer's chest.
the galleries and contained one or more
arcosolia. SACELLUM. Small sepulchre or chapel
built over the tomb of a saint or martw
DALMATIC. Vestment on the based
tunic design, with long sleeves and two
TROPHY. Monument over the tomb of
strips of red material ornamenting it.
a martyr, or on the spot where a martvr
It was worn by the Romans until the se-
dom took place. The name derives from the
cond century AD,
and thereafter by Chris- notion common among the early Christians
tian clergy for liturgical celebrations.
that a martyrdom was a victory of faith.

HYPOGEUM. Private underground

sepulchre in which one or more deceased

120

120 Catacomb of Pempbilus. Reer lunette of em arcosolium withe pen

doves and garlands o) flowers.

BIBLIOGRAPHY \ 1 1 RRUA, If I'ttiurt JtU* mnm

iielh \u Ijlitu. ( uta >icl VtDCino I960
J WILI'IK I . 1 1 f'lttur,- Jt-lif etttCOmb* n,rnj A. P I Kl 1 \/ .
mommmm
n,-. Roma 1903 \ AgBtM, t ma del Vatkaoo I960
K KRAUTHEIMER, w IK WKI S OR- ( l I \M>| \ U 94

BET! A PRAZER, Corpus bmtkmnm Cn leo t h iJUmmhj Jt I una 1963

stuttorum KnrriJi I V. ( m.i del VltJCUO I \\ Dl K MM \NN Rtpi
I'M' ] dmstUcb-mttiJken I, Wiesbaden
I \\ Dl l< IIMANN. A IM IIIKA. Dm 1967
NUmSoUum Jcr Kjnrnn Hi/rnj unJ </'.
\ NESTOR1, Rtperton
Itkj a- Wjneiitnm utiJI', Irw turr Jflle ... ROOM 1973
vu uhiijnj pom A'"w lahrbucfa del <ln" I I \m \\ \ PittrocPt

sclicn arcblologuchefl Institutsi XXII. 1957 I it, Roma I

 r~i nbc 4

18 -
anD Mura Aurri
9 5

I VII f -, 10 - 20 I

12 I .

14
 Father Umberto Fusola. Rector of the Pontificio Istituto Ji Archeologia Cristiana, in the introductory
chapter describes the early Christians of Rome and their places of worship, the origin and structure of
the catacombs, and the story of their growth their fall into oblivion, and their rediscovery.

Fabrizio Mancinelli, Assistant Curator of Medieval. Modern and Byzantine art in the Vatican
Museums, organized the text chronologically, and divided it which describes
into 21 chapters, each of
a catacomb or a church. This book is both a history of the Christian communities and an introduction
and guide for visitors to the early basilicas and principal catacombs of Rome. The 22nd chapter is
dedicated to the Pio Christian Museum in the Vatican, whose fine archaeological collection contains
objects discovered in the ancient Christian cemeteries

TJZ i- i.
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