Hypogeum of the Octavi
Native name
Ipogeo degli Ottavi
Built forOctavi
Governing bodySoprintendenza Speciale Archeologia Belle Arti e Paesaggio di Roma
OwnerDaniela Rossi

L'Ipogeo degli Ottavi The Hypogeum of the Ottavi is an underground tomb (hypogeum), datable to the first half of the third century AD, located in Rome in Ottavia of Municipio XIV, in via della Stazione di Ottavia 73, at the height of the ninth kilometer from via Trionfale.

Discovery edit

The hypogeum was discovered, together with other tombs, in 1920, during the works for the construction of the first houses of the new residential area.

From the name of the hypogeum the district and the station of Ipogeo degli Ottavi of the Lazio Railways took their name.

On the hypogeum stands the Villino Cardani, whose owners permamently employ servants who allow the visit to the hypogeum, free of charge and by reservation at the Special Superintendence of Archeology, Fine Arts and Landscape of Rome.

Description edit

The hypogeum consists of a tunnel dug into the tuff that reaches a vestibule, with geometric frescoes, which gives access to a room with frescoes and a black-edged tile floor.

In the room there were 4 sarcophagi, on which the names of the people buried there are engraved, including Octavius Felix, his daughter Octavia Paolina, who died prematurely at the age of 6, and two relatives.[1] Octavius Felix's sarcophagus also bears the name of the freedman who buried him.[2]

The hypogeum currently contains only the sarcophagus of Octavius Felix, while that of Octavia Paolina, whose writings on the sarcophagus define her as very sweet and dear, was placed in line with the entrance and depicts a competition scene between children,[3] it is currently part of a private collection and is located in Milan. The other two sarcophagi found are in Rome: the sarcophagus bearing a fresco of children's games intent on picking gigantic flowers is located in the Roman National Museum, while the other is located in a corridor ofMinistero dell'istruzione, dell'università e della ricerca.

References edit

  1. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-11-24. Retrieved 2022-09-27.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. ^ http://www.ezrome.it/roma-da-vedere/siti-archeologici/3399-sarcofaghi-etruschi-in-zona-ottavia?jjj=1479969516573
  3. ^ http://www.romasotterranea.it/ipogeo-degli-ottavi.html

Voci correlate edit

Collegamenti esterni edit

it:Categoria:Tombe antiche di Roma it:Categoria:Roma Z. L Ottavia