Christian Catacombs of Rome

The fourth, completely revised and updated edition of a comprehensive and beautifully illustrated work on the Christian catacombs of Rome, which presents current knowledge about the catacombs in a clear, comprehensive and up-to-date manner. The Christian catacombs are important for the history of Early Christian art, as they contain the great majority of examples from before about 400 AD, in fresco and sculpture. Three leading experts, who have been familiar with the subject for decades, as professors at Roman universities, describe the topography, iconography and epigraphy of the catacombs. Vincenzo Fiocchi Nicolai discusses the origin and development of the catacombs from their creation in the Severan era to their abandonment and decline in the early Middle Ages. Fabrizio Bisconti's looks at the paintings of the catacombs, focusing on pagan and Christian pictorial themes and their mutual influence. Danilo Mazzoleni examines the content of the funerary inscriptions, providing fascinating insights into the daily life of the early Christians. This new edition contains a revised and updated bibliography, as well as additional, higher quality images where necessary, in some cases reflecting new restoration work. The book is intended for students and scholars of Christian archaeology and antiquity, and of course for visitors to Rome. In 2025, the number of Roman catacombs open to the public has been increased. They are among the most important testimonies to early Christianity and are also the site of numerous martyrs' graves.