Ancient Roman law prohibited burial within the city, so catacombs were established in the soft volcanic rock outside the city walls. These Roman catacombs, which feature about a half-million tombs interred in a complex underground network of narrow passageways and dark galleries, contain the largest body of archaeological evidence on the early Christian and Jewish communities of ancient Rome.This is an impressive article on the Roman-era and late-antique Jewish catacombs in Rome, their rediscovery in the Middle Ages, and their subsequent rediscoveries, exploration, and conservation up to the present.[...]
For PaleoJudaica posts on the Jewish catacombs in Rome, start here (cf. here) and follow the links.
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