Publication details
In the Underground of the Eternal City : The Hypogeum of Via Livenza
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2021 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Iconographica |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Web | https://www.sismel.it/pubblicazioni/1844-Iconographica-XX-2021 |
| Keywords | Hypogeum in Via Livenza; pagan-Christian syncretism; funeral culture; Rome; underground |
| Description | In a suburb of Rome, there are the remains of a semi-underground space, called the Hypogeum Via Livenza. The interior is covered by high-quality syncretic frescoes and a mosaic. The figural decorations are situated around a water basin and represent primarily Diana’s hunt and a miraculum fontis. The entire structure is dated to before the middle of the fourth century. In the present study, we will focus on the purpose of the building. After we reject previous hypotheses (a baptistery, nymphaeum, shrine), we will look at the way the space could have functioned in a funeral context extra muros, considering the relations between the place and the iconography. |