DE ROSSI
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DE ROSSI
iariano Armellini, an enthusiast in archieology, Luigi multitude of pious and painstaking monks had writ-
- agliosi, the numismatist, Orazio Marucchi, a popu- ten concerning the Christian past, and in addition the
rizer of Christian archaeology, Cosimo Stornaiolo, accounts they have left us of their own times. In this
le "Cirecian", besides many other Italians, among way De Rossi was soon universally acknowledged, even
hom Gcnnaro Aspreno Giilante of Naples deserves to in his lifetime, as the prince of Christian archieologists.
named, found in De Rossi a fatherly friend and
)unsellor. Among his English disciples and friends
ere especially J. Spencer Northcote and W. R.
ro'milow who made known to the English-speaking
orld the results of De Rossi's scholarly investiga-
ans and publications. For years Northcote and
rownlow, and Lewis at Oxford, were in constant cor-
spondence with De Rossi.
Stress is thus laid on the important personal
- quaintance and friendships of De Rossi, in order to
aphasize with what skill he stimulated interest in tiristian archaeology in 1 directions. Equally iportant, perhaps, were e relations established T him in the years 1850- ) during which he con- icted many strangers, [ten of high rank, rough the catacombs, or ted as their guide among e monumental ruins of ome. The friendships us made often secured r him the loan of monu- ents and documents hich otliorwise would
- ver have been sent, even
mporarily, to a foreign luntrj-, but which were ■ought to him at Rome f the diplomatic couriers
all countries, not ex- ipting Russia, thus giv- g him opportunity to camine these objects at s leisure. The imme- ate superiors of De Rossi
the Vatican Archives eated him always as a lend ami an equal, and lowed him entire free- )m in all his studies, ius IX honoured him ith a fatherly affection, riking evidence of which as given on more than
le occasion. Though the science of Christian arch- these papers appeared asseparate volumes or as learned ology was rather foreign to the mental temper of Leo tributes on anniversary occasions. They varj' in length III that pope often showed that, on the proper occa- from one to one hundred and thirty-two printed pages, on, he could do justice to De Rossi's great reputation. The titles of his larger and monumental works are 1 Rome De Rossi was exceedingly popular; nearly all as follows: (1) "Inscriptiones christianse Urbis Romae le educated citizens, as well as the foreign residents, septimo saeculoantiquiores" (vol. I, Rome, 1861 ; part lew and honoured him. Without some knowledge I of vol. II, Rome, 1888); Giuseppe Gatti is complete
Owing to his extraordinary literary productivity,
which was the natural result of the conditions out-
lined above, a distinction must be drawn between his
minor and his greater works. The list of his minor
writings (monographs) begins in 18-49 with the me-
moir: "Iscrizione onoraria di Nicomaco Flaviano",
which appeared in the "Annali dell' Istituto di corris-
pondenza archeologica" (pp. 283-.363). These archae-
olcgical and ecclesiastico-historical papers number
203, not including the so-called literarj- letters in
which De Rossi answered the questions addressed
him by various scholars.
Most of these letters were
given publicity in books
or periodicals by those to
whom they were sent.
Nor does tliis total in-
clude an almost countless
series of Latin inscrip-
tions, expressions of lit-
erary homage, congratu-
latory epigrams, etc.
Most of the monographs,
often quite lengthy, ap-
peared in "Bullcttino
dell' Istituto di corris-
) )Oiidenza archeologica ' ' ;
" Hullr-ttino archeologico
X:i|.olit:ilii-i; " Revue
Mrrl„'nl,,«i.|ue"; "Bul-
let tinodellacommissione
archeologica comunale di
Roma"; "Bibliotheque
de I'ecole des chartes";
" Ephemeris eiJigraph-
ica"; "Studi e documen-
ti di storia e diritto";
" Dissertazioni dell' acca-
tlemia romana pontificia
di archeologia " ; "Me-
langes d'archeologie et
d'histoire de I'^cole
fran(;aise de Rome";
" Riiraische (Juartalsch-
rif t ' ', and in ot her Italian
and foreign periodicals
and reviews. A few of
■ these facts De Rossi's learned labours and extraor-
inarj' success would be only superficially understood.
By his peculiar training, therefore, De Rossi was
ell fitted to understand sympathetically the early
hristian literature, as well as the rise and develop-
lent of the Roman State as shown in the monuments
ing this work (cf. "Archivio della R. Societi Romana
di storia patria", 1887, 696 sqq.; also the s.ame soci-
ety's "Conferenze pel corso di metodologia della
storia", part III, Rome, 1888). (2) "La Roma Sot-
terranea Cristiana" (vol. I with an atlas of forty
plates, Home, 1864; vol. II with an atlas of sixty-two
has left. In regard to the Roman State, he never and \, B, C, D plates, Rome, 1867; vol. Ill with an
Bid the somewhat mechanical and no longer undis
iited fheorj- of Monun.sen. lie |)enetratcd also with
larvellous insight the growth of the primitive Chris-
an hierarchy. .\mid his books and papers De Rossi
ondered over the ruins of the temples and palaces of
atlas of fifty-two plates, Rome, 1877). The plates for
the fourth volume were already (jrinted in jiart when De
Rossi died (see "BuUettino di archeologia cristiana",
1864, I, 1864, 6.3-64; 1867, 11, 89-90; 1876, III, 155-
57). (3) "BuUettino di archeologia cristiana"; the
ntiquity; reviewed his own subterranean explora- first series, in quarto, appeared in monthly mimbers
ons; followed the early Christians in their thoughts, (1863-69), with illu.strations in the text and coloured
ishes, hopes, and ideals: contemplated the triumph plates; it consisted of one hundred and twenty-six
F the Church, liberated by Constantine the Great and monographs and communications. The second series,
itering triumphantly the basilicas; and gathered in octavo, appeared quarterly (1870-75), with twelve
omyellowed manuscripts the traditions that a learned lithographic plates in each volume, and contained al-
