Catacomb of Priscilla

Between the many Roman catacombs usually built along the consular road out od Rome, the Catacomb of Priscilla along Via Salaria, close to Villa Ada, because of the impressive number of people buried here, was known in the past as the Queen of the Catacombs; two popes, Marcellinus and Marcellus I, were buried here as well. Realised in an ancient quarry, it was used for burials from the 2nd to the 4th century. The name comes from Priscilla, a member of the gens Acilia, who was the owner of that land. Divided into three principal areas (an arenarium, a cryptoportico from a Roman villa and an underground burial area of the noble Roman family Acilius Glabrio), these catacombs are excavated out of the volcanic terrain and are composed by 13 kilometers of irregular patterned galleries. Some of the loculi, narrow rectangular tombs carved out of the gallery walls, are decorated by paintings and inscriptions: the cubicle of the Veiled women and the Greek Chapel are only two examples. Near the Catacomb the cloister of the monastery of the Benedictines of Priscilla has been built ant today the Benedictines nuns run the archaeological site.

Catacombe di Priscilla
via Salaria, 430

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