The catacombs - the long underground galleries into which the early Christian community of Rome buried its dead - have always fascinated visitors to Rome. Containing the graves of hundreds of thousands of early Christian believers, as well as the tombs of famous martyrs and no less famous popes, the catacombs are truly awe-inspiring places. It is here, in the dark and winding galleries of these enormous subterranean "cities of the dead", that one encounters the earliest physical evidence of a community that changed the course of Western civilization once and for all. In this long-awaited book - the first general study on the catacombs to appear in English in a long time - readers are taken on an underground tour by one of the world's foremost specialists in catacomb archaeology. In addition to providing practical information for those wishing to enter the catacombs as visitors or pilgrims, this book explains how recent archaeological discoveries in the catacombs of Rome have changed (and continue to change) our understanding of how Rome's early Christian community expressed its faith while coping with the realities of everyday life. This book is essential reading for all those wishing to possess an up-to-date manual on why the early Christian and the Jewish catacombs occupy a place of such central importance in the celebrations surrounding the year 2000.

""Beneath the pavements of monumental Rome, the Rome of the imperial Fora and the great basilicas, lies another Rome, secret and less flamboyant, where everyday buildings open up to reveal unsuspected treasures of art and history. This is subterranean Rome. Though perhaps somewhat less magnificent or picturesque than the city above ground, it is equally - or even more - evocative and fascinating. Like a kind of Atlantis, buried beneath its centuries-old covering, its gardens, temples, baths and nympheums tell us a story of ancient times, made up of light and life, but also of shadows, persecution and death. Here we find the mysterious temples dedicated to the cult of the god Mithras that seem to bring alive the magical atmosphere of initiation and sacrifice. Here too are nympheums, places of pleasure and physical and spiritual refreshment; columbaria with their astonishing funerary architecture; hypogeums and underground passages that still preserve precious works of art beneath churches, palaces, and even in the basements of unpromising-looking houses. However, subterranean Rome does not consist only of mysterious and sacred places, for we also find urban and secular structures like the quarters of the Seventh Cohort of Guards, or the famous Golden House, the Domus Aurea. With evocative photographs - several published here for the first time - this book reveals the hidden world of subterranean Rome, guides us through the most fascinating sites, in many cases previously unvisited, and frequently difficult of access. It represents a journey in time that explores the most ancient roots of western culture."--Jacket.

From humble beginnings, Rome became perhaps the greatest intercontinental power in the world. Why did this historic city become so much more influential than its neighbor, nearby Latium, which was peopled by more or less the same stock? Over the years, historians, political analysts, and sociologists have discussed this question ad infinitum, without considering one underlying factor that led to the rise of Rome--the geology now hidden by the modern city. This book demonstrates the important link between the history of Rome and its geologic setting in a lively, fact-filled narrative sure to interest geology and history buffs and travelers alike. The authors point out that Rome possessed many geographic advantages over surrounding areas: proximity to a major river with access to the sea, plateaus for protection, nearby sources of building materials, and most significantly, clean drinking water from springs in the Apennines. Even the resiliency of Rome's architecture and the stability of life on its hills are underscored by the city's geologic framework. If carried along with a good city map, this book will expand the understanding of travelers who explore the eternal city's streets. Chapters are arranged geographically, based on each of the seven hills, the Tiber floodplain, ancient creeks that dissected the plateau, and ridges that rise above the right bank. As an added bonus, the last chapter consists of three field trips around the center of Rome, which can be enjoyed on foot or by using public transportation.

This is an incredible history presenting some critical aspects of Rome. The writer delivers valuable information about Rome's architecture, politics, and lifestyle through the ages in the simplest way possible. Contents include: Rome Roman Building and Decoration The Roman Catacombs Roman Regions and Guilds The Roman Campagna The Roman Ménage The Roman People Roman Princely Families Roman Religion The Roman Cardinal Rome Before 1870 The Roman Question

Constantine the Great (285–337) played a crucial role in mediating between the pagan, imperial past of the city of Rome, which he conquered in 312, and its future as a Christian capital. In this learned and highly readable book, R. Ross Holloway examines Constantine’s remarkable building program in Rome. Holloway begins by examining the Christian Church in the period before the Peace of 313, when Constantine and his co-emperor Licinius ended the persecution of the Christians. He then focuses on the structure, style, and significance of important monuments: the Arch of Constantine and the two great Christian basilicas, St. John’s in the Lateran and St. Peter’s, as well as the imperial mausoleum at Tor Pignatara. In a final chapter Holloway advances a new interpretation of the archaeology of the Tomb of St. Peter beneath the high altar of St. Peter’s Basilica. The tomb, he concludes, was not the original resting place of the remains venerated as those of the Apostle but was created only in 251 by Pope Cornelius. Drawing on the most up-to-date archaeological evidence, he describes a cityscape that was at once Christian and pagan, mirroring the personality of its ruler.