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| The '''Catacombs of Commodilla''' or '''Catacombs of Felix and Adauctus''' is a three-level underground burial complex forming one of the ]. It is sited on ], not very far from via Ostiense, in the ] quartiere. One name derives from its founder or the donor of the land on which it was built, whilst the other its after the two main martyrs buried there, ]. | The '''Catacombs of Commodilla''' or '''Catacombs of Felix and Adauctus''' is a three-level underground burial complex forming one of the ]. It is sited on ], not very far from via Ostiense, in the ] quartiere. One name derives from its founder or the donor of the land on which it was built, whilst the other its after the two main martyrs buried there, ]. | ||
| The earliest level is the most interesting in archaeological terms, re-using an ancient ] quarry and housing Felix and Adauctus' tombs in a small underground ]. The other two levels were developed out from this level. No remains of monuments connected to the complex survive above ground | The earliest level is the most interesting in archaeological terms, re-using an ancient ] quarry and housing Felix and Adauctus' tombs in a small underground ] (which contained the notable ]). The other two levels were developed out from this level. No remains of monuments connected to the complex survive above ground | ||
| == |
== History== | ||
| From objects found in the complex, it has been dated to the mid 4th cetnury, although other characteristics suggest the early 4th century. The earliest account of the Felix and Adauctus' martyrdom places it in the last years of ], which suggests that the pozzolana quarry may already have been partly used as a burial place before its closure and full transformation into a cemetery in the second half of the 4th century. Burials in it ceased after the end of the 4th century and in the following two centuries it was only in devotional use. | |||
| As with other underground Christian cemeteries, it was later transformed into a site for the cult of the martyrs - several popes restored the underground basilica up until the 9th century, showing the complex was a place of pilgrimage. Coins with the head of ] (]-]) have been found in it, though Felix's and Adauctus' relics were finally removed by ] (847-855) to give to ]'s wife, leading the complex to be abandoned until ] rediscovered it in 1595.<ref>{{in lang|it}} pp.218-220</ref> However, it was only identified as being the catacombs of Commodilla in the 19th century by ], with restoration work at the start of the 20th century leading to the whole second cemetery level (the former quarry) being completely excavated. | |||
| L'analisi dei manufatti scoperti nell'ipogeo portano a datare le catacombe dopo la metà del ], mentre altre caratteristiche la fanno risalire agli inizi del IV secolo; inoltre la stessa ''passio'' data il martirio di Felice ed Adautto negli ultimi anni di vita dell'imperatore ] (]-]): ciò lascia supporre che la cava di pozzolana fosse utilizzata in parte come luogo di sepoltura già prima della sua chiusura e della sua trasformazione in cimitero (cioè nella seconda metà del IV secolo). Le catacombe furono utilizzate per le sepolture non oltre la fine del IV secolo. Nel V e nel VI secolo vengono utilizzate solo a scopo devozionale. | |||
| == Other martyrs == | |||
| In seguito, come accadde per gli altri cimiteri sotterranei cristiani, essa fu trasformata in un luogo di culto martiriale: lavori di restauro alla basilica ipogea furono eseguiti da diversi papi fino al ], segno che ancora a quell'epoca le catacombe erano luogo di pellegrinaggio di devoti cristiani. Vi sono state rinvenute anche monete con l'effigie di ] (]-]): ] (]-]) infine donò le reliquie dei martiri Felice ed Adautto alla moglie dell'imperatore ]. In seguito le catacombe vennero abbandonate e caddero nell'oblio. | |||
| Along with Felix and Adauctus, the complex also traditionally housed the remains of: | |||
| * two martyred sisters, Degna and Merita, killed under ] and buried "in Commodilla" according to the liturgical sources; Merita's name is in a fresco near to Felix and Adauctus' burial place (though archaeologists are not unanimous in their identification) but no trace of Degna's name has been found in the catacombs; their names seem to have been derived from popular belief based on Roman funerary inscriptions, with both sisters' remains transferred under ] to ], where a side-chapel in the nave has ] | |||
| * the '']'' mentions a Gaudentia on 29 August beside Felix and Adauctus, but no trace of her name has been found in the complex | |||
| * a high medieval pilgrims' guide mentions Nemesius, another martyr, not mentioned in any other documents | |||
| == Description == | |||
| Fu scoperta nel ] dall'archeologo ]<ref> pp.218-220</ref>, ma il primo ad identificarla come quella di Commodilla fu, nell'], ]. Campagne di restauro furono eseguite all'inizio del ] e portarono allo scavo completo del secondo livello cimiteriale (l'antica cava di pozzolana). | |||
| A unique feature of the complex and of the ] compared to other catacombs in Rome is the presence of burials 'a pozzo' (literally, in the well), meaning deep ditches containing up to 20 burial niches along the sides, placed one on top of the other. The Commodilla complex is also marked by poor iconography, architecture and epigraphy - its marble inscriptions often include spelling errors and 'cubiculi' and ] tombs are rare. | |||
| The small underground basilica dedicated to Felix and Adauctus is artistically notable, however. Under ] (523-526) it was re-excavated, adapting part of the former pozzolana quarry on the second level, which was closed and enlarged to make room for the martyrs' cult. The martyrs' burial spots have been identified in the basilica, in two niches, one on top of the other, with a fresco of them both above them. | |||
| == I martiri di Commodilla == | |||
| ⚫ | ] with Saints Felix and Adauctus and the donor Turtura.]] | ||
| Come tutte le catacombe romane, anche in quella di Commodilla si ricordano diversi martiri. In primo luogo Felice ed Adautto: il carme redatto da ], andato perduto, ma di cui si conserva una copia in una raccolta di iscrizioni altomedievali, informa che questi due martiri erano fratelli ed entrambi presbiteri. La ''passio'' leggendaria del ] narra che, durante il martirio di Felice, condannato a morte nei primi anni del ], uno sconosciuto uscì dalla folla e, confessando di essere cristiano, chiese di morire con Felice: di lui non si conosceva il nome, per cui passò alla storia col nome di ''l'aggiunto'' (''adauctus'' in latino). Di questi due santi è stata trovata, nelle catacombe, il luogo della deposizione. | |||
| Other features are: | |||
| * the so-called 'tomb of Turtura' (mid 6th century) - a tomb built for a woman by her son, with a fresco of her, the two main martyrs and the Madonna and Christ Child inscribed "Your name was Turtura, and you were in effect a real ]". | |||
| * the fresco of ], second half of the 7th century - shows him with a small bag of surgical instruments | |||
| * fresco showing a seated Christ on a globe giving the ] to Saint Peter, surrounded by the named saints Adauctus, Merita, ], Felix and ] | |||
| At the centre of the complex is also the so-called 'cubiculum of Leo', a Roman ] official (second half of the 4th century), who commissioned it for him and his family. Discovered in 1953, it is completely covered with frescoes of biblical scenes. | |||
| Nelle catacombe di Commodilla, secondo la tradizione, si venerano altri quattro santi: | |||
| == References == | |||
| * una santa di nome Merita, il cui nome si legge in un affresco vicino al luogo di sepoltura di Felice e Adautto (ma gli archeologici non sono tutti unanimi in questa identificazione); le fonti liturgiche inoltre non dicono nulla di questa presunta santa, mentre parlano di | |||
| * due sorelle martiri, ] e Merita, uccise sotto l'imperatore ] (]-]) e sepolte in Commodilla; di Degna non è stata trovata alcuna traccia nelle catacombe; | |||
| * il '']'', alla data del 29 agosto, accanto a Felice ed Adautto, nomina una certa Gaudenzia, di cui non sono state trovate tracce nelle catacombe; | |||
| * infine le guide per pellegrini dell'alto medioevo parlano di un altro martire, Nemesio, che però non è menzionato da nessun altro documento. | |||
| == Descrizione == | |||
| Una particolarità delle catacombe di Commodilla, che le distingue dalle altre catacombe romane, è la presenza di sepolture dette ''a pozzo'': si tratta di fosse profonde, ove si contano fino a 20 loculi disposti nelle pareti e sovrapposti l'uno all'altro. Una simile disposizione è riscontrabile solo nelle vicine ]. Inoltre, rispetto ad altri cimiteri ipogei, Commodilla si caratterizza per un'estrema povertà architettonica, epigrafica e iconografica: sono rari, per esempio, cubicoli ed ], e spesso le iscrizioni marmoree contengono errori di ortografia. | |||
| ⚫ | ] |
||
| Di una certa rilevanza artistica, è la piccola basilica sotterranea dedica ai santi Felice e Adautto; essa fu ricavata, durante il pontificato di ] (]-]), adattando parte dell'antica cava di pozzolana (al secondo livello), che fu chiusa ed allargata per le esigenze di culto. In questa basilica ipogea gli archeologici hanno identificato il luogo di sepoltura dei due santi in due loculi sovrapposti, che sottostanno ad un affresco che li raffigura. | |||
| Nella basilica inoltre si possono ammirare: | |||
| * la cosiddetta ''tomba di Turtura'' (metà del ]): si tratta di una donna la cui morte e sepoltura viene ricordata dal proprio figlio con una tomba arricchita da un affresco; l'affresco raffigura la Madonna, con in braccio il bambino Gesù, seduta su uno scranno d'oro; accanto, le figure dei due santi Felice e Adautto e di Turtura; l'affresco è accompagnato da un'epigrafe, che recita: ''“Il tuo nome è Turtura, e tu effettivamente fosti una vera tortora”''; | |||
| * l'''affresco di san Luca'', risalente alla seconda metà del ], in cui il santo è raffigurato con i ferri del mestiere: infatti ha con sé una piccola borsa con gli strumenti da chirurgo; | |||
| * l'affresco della ''consegna delle chiavi a Pietro'' (]): esso raffigura Cristo seduto su un globo mentre consegna le chiavi a Pietro; accanto figure di santi, ognuna col proprio nome dipinto: Adautto, Merita, l'apostolo Paolo, Felice, Stefano protomartire | |||
| Di notevole pregio artistico e di alto valore simbolico è il cosiddetto ''cubicolo di Leone'', ufficiale romano prefetto dell'annona (seconda metà del ]), che commissionò la cripta per sé e la sua famiglia: essa è completamente dipinta con scene bibliche. Il cubicolo di Leone è al centro della regione delle catacombe, che porta lo stesso nome, scoperta nel ]. | |||
| == Referenecs == | |||
| <references/> | <references/> | ||
| Line 45: | Line 36: | ||
| * Giuseppe Biamonte, Lionella De Santis, ''Le catacombe di Roma'', Newton & Compton Editori, Roma, 1997, pp. 88–96 ISBN 978-88-541-2771-5 | * Giuseppe Biamonte, Lionella De Santis, ''Le catacombe di Roma'', Newton & Compton Editori, Roma, 1997, pp. 88–96 ISBN 978-88-541-2771-5 | ||
| * ], ''Breve storia della lingua italiana'', Il Mulino, Bologna, 2004 ISBN 88-15-09438-5 | * ], ''Breve storia della lingua italiana'', Il Mulino, Bologna, 2004 ISBN 88-15-09438-5 | ||
| * {{ |
* {{cite web|access-date=8 June 2009 |title=L'iscrizione funeraria di un giovane cristiano in Commodilla |url=http://www.telemaco.unibo.it/rombo/iscriz/crist.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101005224613/http://www.telemaco.unibo.it/rombo/iscriz/crist.htm |archive-date=5 October 2010 }}<!-- auto-translated from unknown (Italian or Spanish) by Module:CS1 translator --> | ||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | ] | ||
Latest revision as of 09:04, 5 January 2025
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The Catacombs of Commodilla or Catacombs of Felix and Adauctus is a three-level underground burial complex forming one of the catacombs of Rome. It is sited on via delle Sette Chiese, not very far from via Ostiense, in the Ostiense quartiere. One name derives from its founder or the donor of the land on which it was built, whilst the other its after the two main martyrs buried there, Felix and Adauctus.
The earliest level is the most interesting in archaeological terms, re-using an ancient pozzolana quarry and housing Felix and Adauctus' tombs in a small underground basilica (which contained the notable Commodilla catacomb inscription). The other two levels were developed out from this level. No remains of monuments connected to the complex survive above ground
History
From objects found in the complex, it has been dated to the mid 4th cetnury, although other characteristics suggest the early 4th century. The earliest account of the Felix and Adauctus' martyrdom places it in the last years of Diocletian, which suggests that the pozzolana quarry may already have been partly used as a burial place before its closure and full transformation into a cemetery in the second half of the 4th century. Burials in it ceased after the end of the 4th century and in the following two centuries it was only in devotional use.
As with other underground Christian cemeteries, it was later transformed into a site for the cult of the martyrs - several popes restored the underground basilica up until the 9th century, showing the complex was a place of pilgrimage. Coins with the head of pope Gregory IV (827-844) have been found in it, though Felix's and Adauctus' relics were finally removed by pope Leo IV (847-855) to give to Lothar I's wife, leading the complex to be abandoned until Antonio Bosio rediscovered it in 1595. However, it was only identified as being the catacombs of Commodilla in the 19th century by Giovanni Battista de Rossi, with restoration work at the start of the 20th century leading to the whole second cemetery level (the former quarry) being completely excavated.
Other martyrs
Along with Felix and Adauctus, the complex also traditionally housed the remains of:
- two martyred sisters, Degna and Merita, killed under Valerian and buried "in Commodilla" according to the liturgical sources; Merita's name is in a fresco near to Felix and Adauctus' burial place (though archaeologists are not unanimous in their identification) but no trace of Degna's name has been found in the catacombs; their names seem to have been derived from popular belief based on Roman funerary inscriptions, with both sisters' remains transferred under Pope Paul I to San Marcello al Corso, where a side-chapel in the nave has an oil painting of their martyrdom
- the Martyrologium Hieronymianum mentions a Gaudentia on 29 August beside Felix and Adauctus, but no trace of her name has been found in the complex
- a high medieval pilgrims' guide mentions Nemesius, another martyr, not mentioned in any other documents
Description
A unique feature of the complex and of the catacomb of Saint Thecla compared to other catacombs in Rome is the presence of burials 'a pozzo' (literally, in the well), meaning deep ditches containing up to 20 burial niches along the sides, placed one on top of the other. The Commodilla complex is also marked by poor iconography, architecture and epigraphy - its marble inscriptions often include spelling errors and 'cubiculi' and arcosolium tombs are rare.
The small underground basilica dedicated to Felix and Adauctus is artistically notable, however. Under Pope John I (523-526) it was re-excavated, adapting part of the former pozzolana quarry on the second level, which was closed and enlarged to make room for the martyrs' cult. The martyrs' burial spots have been identified in the basilica, in two niches, one on top of the other, with a fresco of them both above them.
Other features are:
- the so-called 'tomb of Turtura' (mid 6th century) - a tomb built for a woman by her son, with a fresco of her, the two main martyrs and the Madonna and Christ Child inscribed "Your name was Turtura, and you were in effect a real tortora".
- the fresco of Saint Luke, second half of the 7th century - shows him with a small bag of surgical instruments
- fresco showing a seated Christ on a globe giving the keys to Saint Peter, surrounded by the named saints Adauctus, Merita, Paul of Tarsus, Felix and Stephen
At the centre of the complex is also the so-called 'cubiculum of Leo', a Roman annona official (second half of the 4th century), who commissioned it for him and his family. Discovered in 1953, it is completely covered with frescoes of biblical scenes.
References
- (in Italian) Roma sotterranea pp.218-220
Bibliography (in Italian)
- Francesco Sabatini, Un'iscrizione volgare romana della prima metà del secolo IX, «Studi linguistici italiani», VI, 1966, pp. 49–80
- Giuseppe Biamonte, Lionella De Santis, Le catacombe di Roma, Newton & Compton Editori, Roma, 1997, pp. 88–96 ISBN 978-88-541-2771-5
- Claudio Marazzini, Breve storia della lingua italiana, Il Mulino, Bologna, 2004 ISBN 88-15-09438-5
- "L'iscrizione funeraria di un giovane cristiano in Commodilla". Archived from the original on 5 October 2010. Retrieved 8 June 2009.