The subterranean galleries which penetrate the soil surrounding the city of Rome, after having for four centuries served as a refuge and a sanctuary to the ancient Church, were nearly lost sight of during the disorder occasioned by barbarian invasions. As the knowledge of their windings could be preserved only by constant use, the principal entrances alone remained accessible; and even these were gradually neglected and blocked up by rubbish, with the exception of two or three, which were still resorted to, and decorated afresh from time to time. In the sixteenth century the whole range of catacombs was re-opened, and the entire contents, which had remained absolutely untouched, during more than a thousand years, were restored to the world at a time when the recent revival of letters enabled the learned to profit by the discovery.
The history of the catacombs, since their recovery from the oblivion in which they had remained during the dark ages, consists principally in a succession of controversies, provoked by the indiscriminate veneration paid to every object found in them. During the reign of Sextus the Fifth, who ascended the pontifical throne in 1585, some discussions having occurred respecting relics, the attention of antiquarians was strongly directed to the subject, and a diligent examination of the catacombs, then recently discovered, was undertaken. Foremost in this investigation was Bosio, whose posthumous works were edited by Severano, in the year 1632, under the title of Roma Sotterranea, including an original chapter by the editor. The same work translated into Latin, and still further enlarged, was republished by Aringhi.
The elaborate and valuable work of Aringhi, contains, amongst the numerous illustrations, plans of several of these catacombs. These evince them to consist of innumerable tortuous passages.
The number of graves contained in the catacombs is very great. In order to form a general estimate of them, we must remember that from the year A.D. 98, to some time after the year 400, (of both which periods, consular dates have been found in the cemeteries,) the whole Christian population of Rome was interred there.
Prudentius, the Christian poet, of the fourth century, whilst describing these cemeteries, observes:—
Many sepulchres marked with letters, display the name of the martyr, or else some anagram.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The consular epitaphs are our principal means of fixing the dates of graves and cemeteries. That belonging to A.D. 102, is the earliest that we possess, with the exception of one found by Boldetti, in St. Lucina's cemetery, of the year 98.
D M
P. LIBERIO VICXIT
ANI N. II. MENSES N. III
DIES N. VIII R ANICIO
FAVSTO ET VIRIO GALLO
COSS.
Publius Liberio lived two years, three months, and eight days. Anicius Faustus and Virius Gallus being consuls.
The following consulates have been copied without selection from the Christian inscriptions contained in the Vatican Library and Lapidarian Gallery; they shew the usual dates of the consular epitaphs.
- Cæsarius and Albicus
A.D. 397
- Victor and Valentinianus
369
- Cl. Julianus Aug. and Sallustius
363
- Marcellinus and Probinus
341
- Datianus and Cerealis
358
- Valentinianus and Valens, Aug. III.
370
