List of Tombs Along the Appian Way

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The "List of Tombs Along the Appian Way" refers to the large number of burials on the ancient Via Appia.

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Overview

The Appian Way, one of the oldest and most significant roads of ancient Rome, is lined with a remarkable array of tombs and mausoleums that offer a glimpse into the funerary practices and architectural grandeur of the Roman Empire. This historic route, stretching from Rome to Brindisi, was not only a vital conduit for military and commercial activities but also served as a prestigious burial ground for the elite.

The "List of Tombs on the Appian Way" encompasses a variety of sepulchral monuments, from the grand mausoleums of prominent families to more modest burial sites, each reflecting the social status and personal legacies of those interred. Among these, notable examples include the imposing Tomb of Cecilia Metella, the circular mausoleum of the Scipios, and the well-preserved Catacombs of San Sebastiano. These tombs collectively highlight the cultural, historical, and artistic significance of the Appian Way, making it a rich repository of Roman history and heritage.

List of the Tombs

circa 509-27 BCE

Tomb of Marco Servilio Quarto
The tomb or mausoleum of Marcus Quarto (Tomba di Marco Servilio Quarto) is situated at a distance of 2.9 Roman miles from the first Roman mile merker column.

circa 290 BCE - 25 CE

Hypogeum of the Scipios
The Hypogeum of the Scipios (Hypogaeum Scipionum), also known as the Tomb of the Scipios, is an ancient Roman funerary monument located on the ancient Via Appia, one of Rome's most famous roads. The tomb served as the burial place for members of the Scipio family, a prominent patrician family in the Roman Republic known for their military and political role and achievements. The tomb dates back to the late third century BCE and was used until the early to mid first century CE. The Scipio family included notable figures such as Scipio Africanus, who defeated Hannibal in the Second Punic War.

The Hypogeum of Scipios is an underground burial chamber, reflecting the Etruscan influence on Roman funerary practices. It consists of a series of interconnected chambers and corridors, with niches for sarcophagi. The tomb is known for its inscriptions, which provide valuable information about the members of the Scipio family. Some sarcophagi are decorated with reliefs and inscriptions in Latin, offering insights into Roman art and epigraphy.

circa 30 BCE

Mausoleum of Hilarus Fuscus
The Tomb of Hilarus Fuscus (Tomba di Ilario Fusco) is an ancient Roman funerary monument located near the fourth mile of the Appian Way or the Via Appia Antica, to the southeast of Rome. It is located at a distance of 3.3 Roman miles from the first Roman mile marker.

The current structure built mostly out of brick and marble fragments of ancient mausoleum, dates back to the mid-nineteenth century CE when it was restored by Luigi Canina. The architecture of the fragmentary tomb remains and the analysis of figures depicted (particularly the hairstyle of the women) suggests the mausoleum was built at end of the Republican era, the beginning of the Imperial age. Before 1978 CE an inscription bearing the names of the deceased could be seen, which was lost sometime between 1978 - 1998 CE. The sculptures of the deceased currently displayed at the tomb site are copies, original artefacts are displayed in the National Museum of the Baths of emperor Diocletian.

circa 30-20 BCE

Mausoleum of Caecilia Metella
The Mausoleum of Caecilia Metella (Mausoleo di Cecilia Metella) is an ancient Roman tomb located south-east of Rome just before the third mile marker of the Via Appia. The circular mausoleum was built circa 30–10 BCE by her son, Marcus Licinius Crassus.

circa 211 CE

Tomb of Geta
The tomb or sepulchre of Geta (Sepolcro di Geta)

circa 50 BCE - 50 CE

Servilii Tomb
The tomb or the Servilii (Sepolcro di Servilii)

circa 50 CE

Tomb of Priscilla
The sepulchre of Priscilla (Sepolcro di Priscilla)

circa 50 CE

Sepulchre of Tiberius Claudius Secundus Philippianus
The mausoleum of Tiberius Claudius Secundus Philippianus (Sepolcro di Tiberio Claudio Secondo Filippiano) Approximately 100 meters south of the Tomb of Ilaro Fusco lies a funerary monument, which today appears in the form resulting from Luigi Canina's mid-nineteenth-century reconstruction. The facade features a brick wall into which marble fragments found in the vicinity have been integrated. Inscriptions on two small statue bases positioned at the top, along with the fragmentary text of the large epigraph embedded in the facade, indicate that this tomb belonged to Tiberius Claudius Secundus Philippianus, his wife Flavia Irene, and their children Tiberius Claudius Secundus and Claudia Secundus. The father, a freedman of an emperor from the Claudian dynasty (potentially Nero), held various positions including bank collector (coactor argentarius), magistrates' attendant (accensus velatus), copyist (scriba librarius), and messenger (viator). Behind the facade, the monument retains its concrete and flint core, though it has been entirely stripped of its original decorative covering.

circa 65 CE

Tomb of Seneca
The mausoleum of Seneca (Tomba di Seneca)

circa 306-312 CE

Tomb of Romulus and Maxentius

circa 380 CE

Hypogeum of Vibia
The Hypogeum of Vibia (Ipogeo di Vibia)

undated

Tomb of the Festoons
The Tomb of the Festoons (Tomba dei Festoni)

undated

Tomb in the Form of a Shrine Called the Frontispiece
The Frontispiece Shrine tomb (Tomba in forma di edicola detta del Frontespizio)

undated

Family Tomb with a Columbrium
The Family Tomb with a Columbrium (Tomba Familiare a Colombario)

undated

Tomb of Quintus Apuleius
The (Tomba di Quinto Apuleio)

undated

Tower Tomb A
The (Sepolcro a Torre)

undated

Tomb of Rabirii
The (Tomba dei Rabirii)

undated

The So-called Small Temple Tomb
The "Small Temple Tomb" (Sepolcro a Tempietto)

undated

Circular Mausoleum
The circular or round mausoleum (Mausoleo Circolare)

undated

Tomb of the sons of Sextus Pompeius the Just
The mausoleum or tomb of the sons of Sextus Pompeius the Just (Tomba dei figli di Sesto Pompeo Giusto)

undated

Licini Tomb A
The ()

undated

Licini Doric Tomb
The ()

undated

Tomb of Saint Urban
The tomb of Saint Urban (Mausoleo di Sant'Urbano)

undated

First Funerary Brick Monument
The (Primo Monumento Funerario in Laterizio)

undated

Bas-relief with two Deceased
The (Bassorilievo con due defunti)

undated

Second Funerary Brick Monument
The (Secondo Monumento Funerario in Laterizio)

undated

Round Tomb
The (Sepolcro Rotondo)

undated

Curiazi Tumulus
The tumulus of the Curiatii (Sepolcro dei Curiazi)

undated

Horatii Tumulii
The tumulii of the Horatii (Tumuli degli Orazi)

undated

Mausoleum of Casal Rotondo
The (Mausoleo di Casal Rotondo)

undated

Mausoleum of Pompey the Great or the Selce Tower
The Mausoleum of Pompey the Great or the Selce Tower (Mausoleo di Pompeo Magno o Torre Selce)

undated

Sepulcher of the Griffins
The sepulcher or tomb of the Griffins (Sepolcro dei Grifi)

undated

Epigrafe of C. Atilius Euhodus
The ()

undated

Bas Relief of Two Deceased Men and a Woman
The ()

undated

Alabaster Vase Tomb
The (Sepolcro del Vaso di Alabastro)

undated

Tomb of the Monumental Exedra
The (Sepolcro monumentale a esedra)

undated

Aedicule Tomb Attributed to Persius
The (Sepolcro a edicola detto di Persio)

undated

Circular Tomb at the VIII Mile
The (Mausoleo Circolare VIII miglio)

circa 300-400 CE

Berretta of the Priest
The (Berretta del Prete)

circa 270 CE

Sepulchre of Emperor Gallienus
The (Mausoleo di Gallieno)

circa 1870 CE

Secci Tower
The (Torre Secchi)

Notes

See Also

References

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