Any visitor to Rome will want to see and explore the popular historical and cultural sites - the Colosseum, the Forum, the Trevi Fountain and, of course, the Vatican. But a large part of the city’s...
Any visitor to Rome will want to see and explore the popular historical and cultural sites - the Colosseum, the Forum, the Trevi Fountain and, of course, the Vatican. But a large part of the city’s ancient history actually lies underground in the tomb-lined tunnels or catacombs that weave beneath the streets of Rome.
The city has more than 40 catacombs that extend over hundreds of kilometres and they tell us about the customs and funereal traditions of the ancient Romans and early Christians. Many of these catacombs are open to the public, including the Catacombs of Priscilla.
The word catacomb was used by archaeologists to describe the extensive underground cemeteries and cubicula or small rooms that are found along their galleries and branching passageways. It is also thought that catacomb refers to a place near the Appian Way called Catacumbus, which means “near the hollows”.
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