Three leading experts, who have been familiar with the subject for decades as professors at Roman universities, deal with all the relevant questions on the topography, iconography and epigraphy of the catacombs: Vincenzo Fiocchi Nicolai discusses the origin and development of the catacombs from their creation in the Severan era to their abandonment and decline in the early Middle Ages. Fabrizio Bisconti‘s comments on the splendid painting of the catacombs focus in particular on pagan and Christian pictorial themes and their mutual influence. Through selected examples, Danilo Mazzoleni examines the content of the funerary inscriptions, providing fascinating insights into the daily life of the early Christians, which captivate the reader with their immediacy and topicality. The volume, updated in content and bibliography, is a reliable companion in this field of research.
