BATHS OF CARACALLA.
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The portion of this series of main chambers, with which all the others are connected, like the limbs of an organic body, was a rotunda. The open space at the foot of the Aventine was intended for a stadium. The games held in it could be viewed from the tiers of seats, which rose, as in a theatre, above the reservoir, still in existence, on the declivity of the hill. From this the building was supplied with water, conveyed to the different points by means of an aqueduct.

In order to attain a correct idea of the ground-plan, we must proceed to the space in the centre, enclosed on the side towards the road by a high wall furnished with window niches for the reception of statues. This was the great swimming-bath, as is proved by the excavations, which have revealed the deep level of the original floor. Beyond this are small rooms where the bathers were oiled and shampooed; beyond these again is the Grand Peristylium, enclosed with pillars and a portico, in which were performed the athletic exercises; adjoining were the Women's Baths. Returning through the Hemicyclia, we enter the Pinacotheca, or Fine Art Gallery. This brings us to the Tepidarium, or Warm Bath, with four hot baths, Caldaria, at the corners, from which the Sudatorium, or Sweating Room, was entered. This was called the Cella Solearis. The roof was supported by bars of brass interwoven like the straps of a sandal. Vitruvius tells us that the Sudatorium ought to be circular, with a circular window in the centre of the dome, with a shutter to be opened or shut,—thus controlling the atmosphere as required. The Solearis was considered a great architectural feat, and inimitable. Of this grand rotunda only four piers are left, but these are sufficient to give an idea of its size; and it was to the Baths of Caracalla what the Pantheon was to the Baths of Agrippa: that is the only perfect part of those baths left; this is the only part of these baths wanting.

The mosaics of the pavement have sunk down, as it were, in the form of troughs, in consequence of the piers on which the arches rested, as on a sort of grating, having been broken when the latter fell in, and not being properly shored up when excavated.

The remainder of the building recently excavated corresponds with the parts we have described.

Some of the beautiful mosaic pavements may be seen in the Lateran and Borghese Villa Palaces.

Above the baths, on an eminence of the Aventine, is the

CHURCH OF S. BALBINA,

supposed to date from the sixth century. There is nothing of interest in the church itself, but from the tower a fine prospect is enjoyed of the surrounding district. The convent and church have been turned into a penitentiary and a barrack.

Resuming our ramble along the main road, on the right is the

CHURCH OF SS. NEREO E ACHILLEO,

founded by Leo III. (795–816). It contains an enclosed choir with reading-desks. The tribune mosaic is of the founder's time, and represents the Transfiguration and Annunciation. The episcopal chair is that from which S. Gregory read his Twenty-eighth Homily.

The church is on the site of the

TEMPLE OF MARS,

erected during the Gallic war, B.C. 387 (Livy, vi. 5). "The same day is a festival of Mars, whom the Capenian Gate beholds, outside the walls, situated close to the covered way" (Ovid, "Fasti," vi. 191). "They paved with square stones the road from the Capenian Gate to the Temple of Mars," A.U.C. 456 (Livy, x. 23). Repaired A.U.C. 563 (Ibid., xxxviii. 28). "The Curule Ædiles completed the paving of the road from the Temple of Mars to Bovillæ," A.U.C. 459 (Ibid., xi. 47). Mr. Parker found some remains of this temple in excavating at the back of the church. From here the Roman knights used to ride to the Temple of Castor in the Forum, on the anniversary of the battle of Lake Regillus (Dionysius, xi. 13).

Nearly opposite is the Church of S. Sisto, belonging to the Irish Dominican friars of S. Clement, on the site of the

TEMPLE OF HONOUR AND VIRTUE.

"Marcellus was desirous to dedicate to Honour and Virtue the temple which he had built out of the Sicilian spoils, but was opposed by the priests, who would not consent that two deities should be contained in one temple. Taking this opposition ill, he began another temple" (Plutarch. See Livy, xxvii. 25; xxix. 11).

"M. Marcellus, the grandson of the conqueror of Syracuse, erected statues to his father, himself, and grandfather near the Temple of Honour and Virtue, with this inscription—III. Marcelli novies coss" (Cicero, Asconius).

This temple must not be confounded with the temple erected by Marius on the Capitoline, and restored by Vespasian. The Temple of Honour could not be reached without passing through the Temple of Virtue.

Opposite, in the Vigna Guidi, No. 19, are the remains of

THE HOUSE OF HADRIAN.

The chambers occupy three sides of a square peristylium, the walls of which are painted with frescoes, the pavements being black and white mosaics forming hippocampi, with rams' heads, Tritons, and nymphs.

Opening out from the peristylium is the Lararium, or room of the household gods. Here was probably the site of the Villa of Asinius Pollio, the orator in the time of Augustus; for Pliny mentions that in his gardens stood the statue now at Naples, called the Farnese Bull, which was actually found amidst these ruins in 1554. Hence it became the private house of Hadrian, and was destroyed to build the Baths of Caracalla.

Continuing our ramble, on the left, the Via della Ferratella leads to the Lateran. It has a fourth century Shrine of the Lares, with niches for statues.

Beyond, on the right, is S. Cesareo, containing a raised presbytery, surrounded by a marble screen, a marble pulpit, and an ancient episcopal chair. Adjoining is part of the titular-cardinal's house, of the twelfth century. It is on the site of

THE TEMPLE OF TEMPESTAS,

erected by Cornelius Scipio, A.U.C. 495.

"Thee too, O Tempest, we acknowledge to have deserved a shrine, at the time when our fleet was almost overwhelmed by the waves of Corsica" (Ovid, "Fasti," vi. 193).

To the left is

THE VIA LATINA,

so called because it led through the Latin states. It branched out of the Via Appia on the left, outside the Porta Capena and within the Porta S. Sebastiano. A short distance up the Via Latina is the

PORTA LATINA.

(Closed.)

On the keystone is a Greek cross within a circle. The outside of the arch is reached by passing through the Porta S. Sebastiano and turning to the left. It is formed of two round brick towers and a travertine stone arch, with grooves for a portcullis; on the outside keystone are the early Christian emblems of the labarum. The Roman Catholic tradition is that S. John the Evangelist was thrown into a caldron of boiling oil inside this gate, where the circular church now stands.

Opposite is the Church of S. John, Port Latin.

The little round church is called

S. GIOVANNI IN OLEO.

Mr. G. G. Scott lately discovered, at the Chapter House, Westminster, some frescoes representing the Visions of S. John, fourteenth century, which are described in the following inscriptions, translated by Canon Wordsworth:—

"To the most pious Cæsar, always Augustus, Domitian, the Proconsul of the Ephesians sends greeting:—We notify to your majesty that a certain man named John, of the nation of the Hebrews, coming into Asia, and preaching Jesus crucified, has affirmed him to be the true God and the Son of God; and he is abolishing the worship of our invincible deities, and is hastening to destroy the temples erected by your ancestors. This man, being contrariant—as a magician and a sacrilegious person—to your imperial edict, is converting almost all the people of the Ephesian city, by his magical arts and by his preaching, to the worship of a man who has been crucified and is dead. But we, having a zeal for the worship of the immortal gods, endeavoured to prevail upon him by fair words and blandishments, and also by threats, according to your imperial edict, to deny his Christ, and to make offerings to the immortal gods. And since we have not been able to induce him by any methods to do this, we address this letter to your majesty, in order that you may signify to us what it is your royal pleasure to be done with him."

"As soon as Domitian had read this letter, being enraged, he sent a rescript to the proconsul, that he should put the holy John in chains and bring him with him from Ephesus to Rome, and there assume to himself the judgment according to the imperial command."

"Then the proconsul, according to the imperial command, bound the blessed John the Apostle with chains, and brought him with him to Rome, and announced his arrival to Domitian, who, being indignant, gave command to the proconsul that the holy John should be placed in a boiling caldron, in presence of the senate, in front of the gate which is called the Latin Gate, when he had been scourged, which was done. But, by the grace of God protecting him, he came forth uninjured and exempt from corruption of the flesh. And the proconsul, being astonished that he had come forth from the caldron anointed but not scorched, was desirous of restoring him to liberty, and would have done so if he had not feared to contravene the royal command. And when tidings of these things had been brought to Domitian, he ordered the holy Apostle John to be banished to the island called Patmos, in which he saw and wrote the Apocalypse, which bears his name, and is read by us."

THE TOMB OF LUTATIUS CATULUS

is a lofty concrete tomb of the time of the republic, on the left, near the Church of S. John. This may be the general who ended the First Punic War, 242 B.C., or his descendant consul, 102 B.C., proscribed by Marius, and who suffocated himself with charcoal fumes.

Behind the round chapel is

THE COLUMBARIA OF HYLAS AND VITALINE.

The columbaria were underground chambers, containing niches in the walls, in which were placed the urns containing the ashes of those who were burned. As the niche was like a dove's nest in shape, it was called a "columbarium," the whole tomb a "columbaria." This one was discovered by the Marchese Campana, and is carefully preserved. Here were buried the freedmen of Augustus while Hylas and Vitaline were the custodians.

Returning to the Via Appia, the second gate on the left admits to the

CHAPEL OF THE SEVEN SLEEPERS,

dedicated to S. Gabriel and the Sleepers of Ephesus. It was decorated in fresco by the same Beno and Maria de Rapiza who did the frescoes in S. Clement's towards the end of the eleventh century.

Beyond, a tall cypress tree marks the entrance to the (No. 13)

TOMB OF THE SCIPIOS.

The vaults, hewn in the tufa, with the traces of a cornice over the entrance arch, and the stump of a Doric column, are all that now remain. The tomb was discovered in 1780; and the bones of the consul, found in good preservation, were carried to Padua, where they were interred by Senator Quirini. Six sarcophagi were found, and several recesses for more bodies; the original inscriptions were removed to the Vatican and placed in the vestibule of the Belvedere.

Lucius Scipio Barbatus, his son; Aula Cornelia, wife of Cneius Scipio Hispanus, a son of Scipio Africanus, senior; Lucius Cornelius, son of Asiaticus; Cornelius Scipio Hispanus and his son Lucius, were buried here. Africanus senior was buried at Liternum.

From this tomb we can ascend into a brick tomb of the second century.

TOMB OF CORNELIUS TACITUS.

This is probably the tomb of the historian, who died about A.D. 130. The following inscription was found here:—

Just beyond, in the Vigna Codini (No. 14), are the Columbaria of

THE OFFICERS OF CÆSAR'S HOUSEHOLD.

(Memorials of those mentioned by S. Paul.)

Two columbaria lie upon the right of the pathway, and possess considerable interest, not only as good specimens of the chambers where the ashes of those who were cremated were deposited, but special interest is attached to some of the names found therein—names that are mentioned in the New Testament. The question arises, Are these the remains of those there mentioned? Can we still look upon the ashes of those early Christians? Let us see.

In the first columbaria we find this inscription—

Just beyond is—

On the stair wall is a Greek inscription to Onesimus.

On the outside of the second columbaria, built into the wall, is—

Close by is—

Inside the second, in situ, is the inscription—

The first columbaria was for the servants or officers of the imperial family, and dates from Augustus to Nero, both inclusive. The second dates from Julius Cæsar to Tiberius. The historic notices of some of those names are valuable.

S. Paul, writing to the Romans from Corinth, A.D. 60, says, "Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labour in the Lord" (Rom. xvi. 12).

Writing from Rome to the Colossians, A.D. 64, he says, "With Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother" (Col. iv. 9); and to Philemon: "I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds" (Phil. 10). In Colossians i. 7: "As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant;" and in iv. 12 we have: "Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ"—who is again mentioned in Philemon: "There salute thee Epaphras, my fellow-prisoner in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 23).

Now, these names are uncommon, and we only have them mentioned by S. Paul, and engraved on these marble slabs, which slabs are in the columbaria of the freedmen of the Cæsars, agreeing in date with the time of S. Paul's letters; who himself preached to, and had converts amongst, the household of Cæsar, in the imperial palace upon the Palatine Hill. He says, writing to the Philippians, "So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places" (Phil. i. 13). And (iv. 22), "All the saints salute you, chiefly they that are of Cæsar's household."

The name Valeria was taken, when she obtained her freedom, from her mistress, the Empress Messalina (whose name was Valeria). These names do not cover their own ashes—with the exception of that to Onesimus and Epaphras—but are memorial-stones erected to fellow-servants, who, if we may judge from the "D.M." over the inscriptions, were not Christians.

They record a work of charity and love to fellow-servants, though not co-religionists; and the names mentioned may well be those likewise named by S. Paul, with the exception of Onesimus, who was sent back to his master.

The names Tryphena and Tryphosa occur before the coming of Paul to Rome, and these, with some others mentioned by him (Rom. xvi.), were found on slabs in another columbaria, about a mile further on, on the Via Appia, discovered in 1726, and known as the Columbaria of the servants of Livia Augusta. It is now a complete ruin—one wall only remaining—and some of the inscriptions are in the Capitol Museum.

The following names, according to Gruter, p. 1070, No. 1, and p. 656, No. 1, were there, but they are now lost:—

These are the names probably of some members of the church founded by Priscilla and Aquila, whom Paul greets in writing to Rome, but who are not mentioned again by him after his arrival in Rome. They possibly were no longer living, and the church was dispersed under Claudius, Aquila and Priscilla, whom Paul salutes in his second letter to Timothy (iv. 19), going to Corinth (Acts xviii. 2).

Another columbaria, well preserved, lies on the left of the path at the entrance.

THE ARCH OF DRUSUS

next draws our attention.

The aqueduct which supplied the Thermæ of Caracalla crossed the road a few steps before the Aurelian Gate of the city, the Porta Appia (now called the Porta S. Sebastiano), where an arch of travertine, adorned with white marble and pillars of various colours (still standing) was employed to convey the aqueduct over the road. The arch itself is evidently much older than the aqueduct, and has, consequently, been pronounced by antiquaries to be the triumphal arch awarded to Drusus by a decree of the senate, and said to have been erected to him on the Appian Way. It was supported by four columns of African marble, relieved by four niches and an attic above a small pediment; the whole was surmounted by an equestrian statue between two trophies, as shown upon a coin. "The senate likewise decreed for Drusus a triumphal arch of marble, with trophies, over the Appian Way, and gave him the cognomen of Germanicus" (Suetonius, "Claudius," i.).

Passing under, we come to

THE PORTA APPIA

(now Sebastiano), opening on the great highway of ancient Rome, the Via Appia. This gate is the finest in the Aurelian walls, and, in its splendid decorations, regard has evidently been paid to the road over which it was built. All the rectangular stones of the substruction are of white marble. It is curious, too, that considerable projections have been left on most of the stones on the right side, whilst the others present a smoothly hewn surface, evidently old material re-used.

A fresco painting of the Madonna, said to be of the sixth century, probably the work of a Greek soldier under Belisarius (as the character of the painting is Byzantine), remains in the corridor of Aurelian near this gate. It was over the head of the sentinels in the path and near the third tower on the right side of the gate. The existence of this painting was not known until it was discovered accidentally by Mr. J. H. Parker, C.B., in 1870. Entrance, first gate on the left, inside the Arch of Drusus. The gate-house is said to have been built, in the time of King Theodoric, out of the ruins of the Temple of Mars, which stood outside this gate. It was necessary for the Temple of Mars to be outside the gate, and this one was erected when the one outside the Porta Capena became obsolete, being within the Aurelian walls.

Behind the right hand wooden gate are a figure of S. Michael and a Gothic inscription cut in the marble, recording the repulse of Louis of Bavaria in 1327.

Descending the Hill of Mars, on the left, built into a house, is an unknown tomb. Beyond, we cross the other branch of the Almo. Upon the left is

THE SEPTIZONIA OF GETA,

the murdered brother of Caracalla. The tomb now only shows a huge mass of concrete. It was named after its shape, and was like the portico erected by Septimius Severus to the Palace of the Cæsars (Spartianus).

On the right, behind the osteria, is the

TOMB OF PRISCILLA.

Statius sang of the conjugal love of Abascantius, who interred his wife Priscilla before the city, where the Appian Way branches out, and where Cybele haunts the stream of the Almo.

To the mouth of the Almo the priests of Cybele brought the statue of the goddess once a year and washed it in the waters, together with the sacred utensils used in her worship.

The tower is medieval, showing it to have been turned into a fortress.

On the left is the

CHURCH OF DOMINE QUO VADIS.

So called from the legend that S. Peter, when escaping from Rome, was met by our Saviour at this spot. Peter asked of him, "Domine, quo vadis?" to which Jesus replied, "Venio iterum crucifigi," which caused the apostle to return to his doom. They show on a small piece of marble two footprints, which they say is where the Lord stood—he having left the imprint of his feet on a piece of white marble in a road paved with silex. We don't believe it; but our readers may, if they like. The original is in the Church of S. Sebastiano. The Via Ardeatina goes off to the right. Just beyond, where the lane turns off to the left, Cardinal Pole erected the little round shrine as the exact spot where Jesus stood.

THE TOMB OF ANNIA REGILLA.

From the Via Appia, just beyond the "Domine quo Vadis," a lane leads into the valley of the Caffarella. At the end of the lane, upon the left, is a beautiful brick tomb of the time of the Antonines. This is popularly known as the Temple of the Dio Rediculo. We have raised objections to this: first, because Pliny ("Nat. Hist.," x. 43) says the Campus Rediculi was at the second mile on the right of the Via Appia, whilst this ruin is upon the left; and secondly, from its construction, which shows it to have been a tomb. We have always considered this as the tomb of Annia Regilla, the wife of Herodes Atticus, consul A.D. 143. It stands upon his estate, where we know he erected a sepulchre to his wife, consecrating the surrounding land to Minerva and Nemesis. He was of Greek origin, and the ornaments are of Greek design; they are beautifully executed and well preserved, particularly the zigzag border. This view of ours has been recently confirmed: in digging up the soil at the base of the tomb, the following portion of the inscription has been found,—it is cut on a piece of rosso-antico:—

In an inscription in the Louvre she is called "the light of the house, the lady of the land,"—these estates came to Herodes through Annia,—and in the newly found inscription she is called light of the house. Thus they both refer to the same lady whose tomb is here recognized.

The word rediculo is supposed by some to come from redeo, I return, as applied to the spot where Hannibal turned back from Rome; but from Pliny we know there was a place called Campus Rediculi, and that it was to the right of the Via Appia in coming out of the city, so it could have nothing to do with this field. Pompeius Festus, a Latin critic of the fourth century, ascribes it to the above meaning, but he would be no authority. Hannibal's camp was on the road to Tivoli, and from there he returned. "Hannibal moved his camp forward to the river Anio, three miles from the city. Posting there his troops, he himself, with two thousand horsemen, proceeded from the Colline Gate as far as the Temple of Hercules, riding about, and taking as near a view as possible of the situation and fortifications of the city" (Livy, xxvi. 10). "Discouraged by all circumstances, he moved his camp to the river Tutia, six miles from the city" (Ibid., xi.).

The tomb is built of yellow bricks, with red brick basement, pilasters, and ornaments: on one side is the pediment of the portico, which was formed with peperino columns. Over the square doorway is a decorated niche for the statue. The tomb contained originally two chambers, but the flooring of the upper one has been destroyed—thus making one—the vault of which was decorated with stucco ornaments. In construction it is like the painted tombs on the Via Latina, the bricks being carefully baked and laid with very little mortar between them, not unlike the entrance to some of the warehouses at Ostia, and of the same date—time of Hadrian; for being a tomb, and not cased with marble, it shows more careful construction than the ordinary brickwork of the time of that emperor.

Proceeding on our ramble along the Via Appia, upon the left is an unknown tomb; on the right, beyond, another. This is exactly at the second mile from the Porta Capena. Here was the Campus Rediculi. Was this the raven's tomb? (See page 18.) The vineyard on the left contained the Columbaria of Livia, now destroyed. Beyond, entrance to the Catacomb of Prætextatus. Upon the right,

TOMB OF THE CÆCILII,

a shapeless mass of rubble. Several epitaphs to this family have been found here.

Just beyond is the entrance to the

CATACOMBS OF S. CALIXTUS.

Fee, one lira each, which includes guides and lights.

Catacomb is a medieval word, and is said by some authorities to be derived from the Greek words κατὰ , under, and κύμβος, a hollow. The Romans called these burial-places cemeteries. They generally consist of three strata of tufa: litoide, of a red conglomeration, hard, used for building; pozzolana pura, a friable sand, for mortar; and granolare, harder, but easily cut, of which the catacombs were almost exclusively made.

A catacomb consists of passages or long narrow galleries cut with regularity, so that the roof and floor are at right angles to the sides, running quite straight, but crossed by others, and these again by others, forming a complete labyrinth of subterranean corridors,—the sides are honeycombed with graves. Their narrowness was to economize space, and to make the most of the limited area. These corridors, themselves the cemetery, lead into different chambers. Rome is surrounded by about sixty of these catacombs, each taking its name from the saint that reposed there.

The catacombs began to be formed at the beginning of the third century A.D., and originated from a pagan tomb. We find no exception to this in the early catacombs. Just inside the gate is a pagan tomb, second century, from which a flight of steps leads into the catacomb. This tomb belonged to the family, and when it was filled, instead of building a new tomb or buying another site, they dug down and made another chamber in the tufa rock below, and so on. In the course of time the proprietor became a Christian, and probably left his property to the Church. The tomb became popular, and it was enlarged gradually; the passages serving for the poor, and the chambers for the family tombs, which were paid for. They were lighted by means of shafts, which still exist; and there was no concealment—they were the public recognized burial-places, and when Christianity was the nominal religion of the state, pagans and Christians were both buried here. We find pagan inscriptions, emblems (other than those adopted by the Christians), and pagan family tombs. The pagan frescoes are much better works of art than the Christian; for the Christians had to be educated, whilst the pagans already knew. Early Christian frescoes are very rude daubs (see those of Jonah), and they gradually advanced till the ninth century, when we have the Byzantine school (see S. Cecilia). This latter style was used for the pilgrims after the bodies, all looked upon as martyrs, were removed to the churches in Rome; which gave rise to the story that the catacombs lead to Rome, which is not true. Neither is it correct that the catacombs were old quarries used up by the Christians, though there was often an entrance into them from a quarry. Most of the inscriptions are in the Vatican and Lateran: they would be far more interesting where they were found.

N.B.—The air is pure; the vaults are dry, and they are not cold.

The entrance is near the ancient church in which Pope Damasus, who died A.D. 384, was buried. Descending the steps we enter the vestibule, the walls of which are covered with the names of pilgrims; a narrow gallery conducts us to the Chapel of the Bishops—Lucius, A.D. 232; Anterus, A.D. 235; Fabianus, A.D. 236; Eutychianus, A.D. 275. Following the names of Lucius and Fabianus are the words, "Epis, martyr." Urbanus, A.D. 223, and Sixtus, A.D. 258, were both buried here. In front of the grave of the latter is the inscription put up by Damasus, engraved in beautiful characters:—

INSCRIPTION OF POPE DAMASUS IN THE CHAPEL OF THE BISHOPS.

In front was the altar. From here a gallery leads to the Crypt of S. Cecilia, where her body was placed after martyrdom by Priest Urban, A.D. 203. From this resting-place it was removed in 820 by Paschal I. (See p. 140.) The body was found "fresh and perfect as when it was first laid in the tomb, and clad in rich garments mixed with gold, with linen cloths stained with blood rolled up at her feet." On the wall is a fresco of S. Cecilia attired in a dress of Byzantine character. Below are two others—on the left, Christ, with a nimbus; on the right, Urban in full pontifical dress: they are of the ninth century. After traversing some passages, we enter the cubicula of a family. On the walls are roughly executed frescoes of the Baptism of Christ in Jordan by John, the story of Jonah and the Large Fish, Moses striking the Rock, the Woman at the Well of Samaria, the Paralytic Man walking with his Bed—doves, emblems of immortality, on the sides. At the end are two fossori, or grave-diggers, between whom are three subjects in fresco, representing two men, one on either side of a tripod on which something is cooking; and next it, seven people seated at a table, beyond which are two figures and some sheep or lambs. These frescoes seem to us to represent the scenes at the Lake of Tiberias, after the resurrection of our Lord, as recorded in the twenty-first chapter of S. John. They certainly agree with the story: "There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples" (ver. 2)—"But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus" (ver. 4)—"As soon as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread" (ver. 9)—"Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord" (ver. 12)—"Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise" (ver. 13)—"So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs" (ver. 15; see also ver. 16, 17). In another sepulchre have been found two sarcophagi containing remains; the tops are now covered with glass. Opening out of this sepulchre is another, in which was found a sarcophagus (fourth century) representing Lazarus being raised from the dead, the multiplication of the loaves and fishes, Daniel in the lions' den. Near this is a crypt containing an inscription having reference to the heresy of Heraclius, on account of which Eusebius became a voluntary exile. The names of the person who engraved it—Furius Dionysius Filocalus—and of Bishop Damasus are cut in two vertical lines down the sides. It had served previously for an inscription to Caracalla, made by M. Asinius Sabinianus. It was a very usual thing for the early Christians to re-use the marble of other times, on account of its cheapness, they being mostly poor.

COPY OF INSCRIPTION OF DAMASUS ON AN INSCRIPTION TO CARACALLA.

The Chapel of S. Cornelius was originally distinct from these catacombs. His tomb is marked "Cornelius Martyr. Ep." on the side-wall fresco of Cornelius and Cyprian; in front is a pillar on which stood the lamp burning before the shrine.

INSCRIPTIONS NEAR THE GRAVE OF BISHOP CORNELIUS.

Beyond are two crypts, with a fresco of the Good Shepherd, in good preservation, on the ceiling, and other Christian emblems. We emerge into daylight by means of the original stairs, of an early construction.

A little lower down the road, on the left, are the Jewish Catacombs, which, perhaps more than any other, would illustrate that these catacombs were formerly quarries, because they are rather wide.

A little further on we turn down a rough road on the left, leading to what has been called the "antiquary's despair," the

TEMPLE OF CERES AND FAUSTINA,

the site of which is now occupied by the deserted Church of S. Urbano. The church was built of brick, and the vestibule is supported by marble Corinthian pillars. Piranesi saw the name of Faustina stamped on one of the bricks. The basin in the vestibule containing the holy water was found near here, and was an altar consecrated to Bacchus. The inscription says that it was made under the priesthood of Apronianus. The grove of ilex trees is termed the Sacred Grove of Bacchus. Tradition says S. Urban, in 222–30, had an oratory here under the present altar; and that Urban VIII. (1633) turned the oratory into a church;—the paintings and iron bars are of that date. Below the altar, entered from its side, is a cell, on the end wall of which is a fresco, of the eighth century, of the Virgin with Christ, and SS. John and Urban. The plan of the building is rectangular, and it is of the time of Antoninus Pius. At the foot of this hill is the valley of the Almo, or Caffarella, in which is the mossy entrance to a grotto, for a long time called the Grotto of Egeria, owing to the misapprehension of the site of the Porta Capena. It is now known to have been a nymphæum in the

VILLA OF HERODES ATTICUS.

This was proved from finding two pedestals, on which are two Greek inscriptions, copies of which have been placed on the top of the hill, close by the artificial ruin in the Villa Borghese; the originals are in the Louvre. This villa formed part of the dowry of Annia Regilla, wife of Atticus, as we learn from a column, No. 10 in the second Hall of Inscriptions in the Capitol Museum, which afterwards marked the eighth mile on one of the roads. After Regilla's death, he consecrated a statue to Regilla in the above temple. This is denoted by the above inscriptions, which speak of her as "the light of the house, the lady of the land." The wall at the back of the vaulted chamber was primarily intended to support the declivity of the hill, at the foot of which this elegant little building stands. The niches in the walls were for the reception of statues. One of these only, a recumbent figure of a river god, has been preserved, and is supposed to be a personification of the Almo, which flows past the spot.

Several channels for pipes, concealed in the wall, justify the supposition that the water poured forth in numerous streams. The romantic appearance of this spot has been greatly changed by the stream being turned into an aqueduct in the summer of 1873. A path leads to the tomb of Annia Regilla.

Visitors whose time is limited should continue along the Appian Way as far as the Tomb of Cecilia Metella, and then retrace their steps to this road, which leads into the Via Appia Nova (page 328), and so return to Rome.

Regaining the Via Appia, at a short distance on the right is the Via Sette Chiesa. Some distance down, near the Tor Marancia farm, are the

CATACOMBS OF DOMITILLA.

The tomb at the entrance dates from the reign of Trajan, and contained the remains of SS. Nereus and Achilleus; also of Petronilla, a member of the Aurelii family. The saints were the servants of Domitilla, a daughter or niece of Flavius Clemens, the first of imperial blood who suffered martyrdom. Domitilla opened this tomb, which afterwards became a general catacomb, for the remains of her servants. This is the most ancient Christian catacomb, as may be seen from the paintings and brickwork of the vestibule. The present entrance is modern; the catacomb is interesting for its paintings. In 1874 the

BASILICA OF S. PETRONILLA,

supposed to have been built about A.D. 400, was discovered, the top being only a few feet below the ground. It is supposed to have been originally built for the devotees who resorted to the tombs of the martyrs, and was destroyed by the Lombardians. On the wall of the tribune is a graffito of a priest preaching, probably S. Gregory, whose chair was removed from here to the church of SS. Nereo e Achilleo. (See page 279.)

Beneath the floor were discovered many tombs covered over when the basilica was built. It is being restored as a monument to Monsieur Merodi.

A fresco was found representing S. Petronilla receiving Veneranda. Several inscriptions have been found; also the columns which supported the baldachino, on which are represented the martyrdoms of SS. Achilleus and Nereus.

The Romans built an altar at the springs of the river Numicius to Anna, the sister of Dido, who became the wife of the god of the river Numicius, and was called Anna Perenna. (See Ovid, "Fasti," iii. 542.) The Roman Church erected a chapel to her on the same spot, under the title of Santa Petronilla, said, without scriptural authority, to have been S. Peter's daughter, and to have died in Rome, May 30th, A.D. 98, in the reign of Domitian. This could not be the case, for Domitian died A.D. 96, and Trajan was emperor before the last of May A.D. 98, Nerva having reigned between. Straight on leads to S. Paul's outside the walls.

Returning to the Via Appia, on the right is the

CHURCH OF S. SEBASTIANO,

founded by Constantine, and rebuilt in 1611 from the design of Ponzio. The front and portico of six granite columns were designed by Vasanzio. Below the church are the catacombs, open free. A monk acts as guide. An altar on the right contains Bernini's statue of Sebastian, and one on the right the famous footprints.

Opposite the church are the extensive remains of the

TOMB OF ROMULUS, SON OF MAXENTIUS.

In front of the Circus of Maxentius, on the Via Appia, stands a square portico, of which only the high enclosure walls remain. These, however, are in a state of excellent preservation.