The Christian Catacombs of Rome (Paperback)

Vincenzo Fiocchi Nicolai

ISBN 10: 379543968X / ISBN 13: 9783795439682

Published by Schnell & Steiner GmbH, Verlag, 2025

About this Item

Paperback. The fourth, completely revised and updated edition of a comprehensive and beautifully illustrated work on the Christian catacombs of Rome, which presents current knowledge about the catacombs in a clear, comprehensive and up-to-date manner. The Christian catacombs are important for the history of Early Christian art, as they contain the great majority of examples from before about 400 AD, in fresco and sculpture. Three leading experts, who have been familiar with the subject for decades, as professors at Roman universities, describe 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 looks at the paintings of the catacombs, focusing on pagan and Christian pictorial themes and their mutual influence. Danilo Mazzoleni examines the content of the funerary inscriptions, providing fascinating insights into the daily life of the early Christians.This new edition contains a revised and updated bibliography, as well as additional, higher quality images where necessary, in some cases reflecting new restoration work. The book is intended for students and scholars of Christian archaeology and antiquity, and of course for visitors to Rome.In 2025, the number of Roman catacombs open to the public has been increased. They are among the most important testimonies to early Christianity and are also the site of numerous martyrs' graves. The 4th revised and updated edition of this book describing the Christian catacombs of Rome presents the latest international research in a clear, comprehensive and up-to-date manner. The Christian catacombs are important for the history of Early Christian art, containing the majority of examples from before about 400 AD, in fresco and sculpture. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Seller Inventory # 9783795439682

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Christian Catacombs of Rome (Paperback)
• Publisher: Schnell & Steiner GmbH, Verlag
• Publication Date: 2025
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 379543968X
• ISBN 13: 9783795439682
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition: 2nd Edition
• Condition: new

About this title

Synopsis

The new edition of this book was created for the Holy Year 2025, which has the motto 'Pilgrims of Hope'. At the request of Pope Francis, the number of Roman catacombs that are open to the public has been expanded, as they are among the most important witnesses to early Christianity and preserve many martyrs' graves. These are proposed to the Roman pilgrims as important stops, also to commemorate the Christians who are persecuted for their faith in many countries. This book is the second edition of a comprehensive publication on the Christian catacombs of Rome in four languages, which presents the current results of international catacomb research in a clear, comprehensive and up-to-date manner. Three renowned experts, who have been familiar with the subject matter for decades as professors at Roman universities, deal with all relevant questions concerning the topography, iconography and epigraphy of the catacombs: Vincenzo Fiocchi Nicolai discusses the origins and development of the catacombs from their creation in Severan times to their abandonment and decline in the early Middle Ages. Fabrizio Bisconti provides an account of the magnificent paintings in the catacombs, focusing in particular on the pagan and Christian pictorial themes and their mutual influence. Danilo Mazzoleni examines the content of the epitaphs on the basis of selected examples, gaining exciting insights into the everyday life of the early Christians, which captivate the reader with their immediacy and timeless closeness to life. This volume has been updated in terms of content and bibliography and is a reliable companion in this field of research.