Catacombs

The Catacombs in Rome are underground burial places, found outside the center of Rome, usually along the old consular roads. The reason for this is that in the times of the Roman Empire it was forbidden to bury people inside the city walls.

Although there are a lot more catacombs in Rome, only five of them are opened to the general public. The other ones can only be visited by scientists and archeologists, by appointment.

The catacombs were not, as is often assumed, hiding places, although they were often used to celebrate Christian religious ceremonies in peace.

They often consisted of kilometers of hallways on several levels and there were several different kinds of graves, from small one man tombs to caves that “hosted” entire families. 

Catacombs of Saint Sebastian

Saint Sebastian was a soldier who was martyred during the reign of Diocletian (end of the 3rd century). He was pierced with arrows, then killed by blows of a club and thrown into the Cloaca Maxima. He appeared in a … Continue reading →

Catacombs of Priscilla

Priscilla’s catacomb (Italian: Catacomba di Priscilla) is the best preserved Early Christian cemetery in Rome. It is also among the oldest and largest of all of Rome’s catacombs. Thanks to several inscriptions bearing the names of Peter and Paul one … Continue reading →

Catacombs of Saint Callixtus

Of all the Roman Catacombs, San Callisto’s ones are the most famous. They constitute the first official underground Christian cemetery and many martyrs from the 2nd and 3rd centuries are buried there. Callixtus himself was originally the administrator of the … Continue reading →