This tour is an exploration into the subterranean below two of the most ancient and important basilicas still present in
Rome.
The archeological complex of S. Clemente is the perfect example of how Rome was built on the archeological overlap of diverse time periods. The primitive church of S. Clemente, which today is underground, has its origins dating back to the second half of the IV century, and was modified from the existing context of a roman house, or domus, from the III century, which in turn sprang up slowly from an even earlier structure. This last one is separated by a narrow passageway just over 80 centimeters wide from an Insula, or large habitable structure, in which a Mitreo, or place of worship for the occult, was established in the III century. In the diverse levels present in the subterranean ambient of S. Clemente, there is also the streambed of the ancient torrent known as Clivus Labicanus, which once flowed into the lake of Nero, which today is occupied by the Coliseum. Saints John and Paul The Roman houses in Celio represent an excellent example of the original architectural solution of three Roman houses from the II century A.D. They were later transformed into a single shop with a street level storefront in the first part of the III century. In the IV century A.D. the building then became the house of a nobleman, and the beautifully conserved decorations that we see today are from that period. The last transformation is datable back to the same IV century, when because of the martyrdom of Saints John and Paul (and also Crispo, Crispiano and Benedetta), a ‘confesso’, or a rectangular niche with a slightly elevated landing, decorated with thematically Christian paintings, was created. Finally, in the V century, the construction of the wonderful Church began. The Roman houses can therefore be considered a pristine and singular example of a pictorial conservation that is found nowhere else in Rome. They represent a modern museum on the interior, where rare china, amphora, and precious materials had also been conserved, only to have come to light centuries later during the course of the excavations. ‘Underground Rome’ has also been involved in a study to be conducted on the inside of the archeological area and accessible only by the wells.