The Early Christians in RomeSpence-Jones, H. D. M. (Henry Donald Maurice)
History
The Early Christians in Rome
Spence-Jones, H. D. M. (Henry Donald Maurice)
Church history -- Primitive and early church, ca. 30-600; Rome (Italy) -- Church history
After the translation of its precious relics, the cemetery of which
we are speaking, in common with so many of the catacombs; was deserted
by the pilgrim visitors, and its very site was quickly forgotten. De
Rossi, in 1858, was enabled to point out its situation, but it was not
examined until the year 1884, when some workmen digging the foundations
of a house came upon some ancient loculi, with inscriptions, and a
number of dim faint pictures. The little basilica of the sixth century
thus came to light, and the ruins of what had once been the tomb and
shrine of S. Felicitas in the catacomb which bears her name.
On the Via Salaria Nova, between the Cemetery of S. Felicitas and
the very important Cemetery of S. Priscilla, there exists what may
be termed a network of catacombs only very partially explored. The
first is called after _Thrason_, a wealthy Roman citizen who gave the
hospitality of the tomb in a catacomb beneath his gardens to several
martyrs to the Diocletian persecution--notably to Saturninus. This
portion of the catacombs has as yet been only very little explored; the
corridors, etc., are still earthed up.
A little farther on the same road is another cemetery, generally
known too under the same name--“Thrason.” Marucchi, however, calls it
“_Cœmeterium Jordanorum_.” It is probable that it was joined originally
to that of Thrason. The meaning of the term “Jordani” used in the old
Pilgrim Itineraries is uncertain. This is one of the deepest excavated
cemeteries. As many as four stories of galleries, one beneath the
other, have been found here. Several “Arenaria” or sand-pits intervene
between the groups of galleries of this catacomb. All this extensive
network of catacombs and arenaria has only been partially excavated as
yet. The work is naturally costly to execute, and is accompanied with
some danger.
De Rossi places in one of these “Arenaria” or sand-pits in the midst of
this group of Catacombs of Thrason and the Jordani on the Via Salaria,
the scene of the martyrdom of the well-known SS. Chrysanthus and his
wife Daria, who bore their witness unto death in the persecution of
the Emperor Numerian, _circa_ A.D. 284. Daria had once been a
Vestal Virgin; she became a Christian, and was the especial object of
hatred by the fading pagan party.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account