Hypogeum of Vibia, Underground burial complex along Via Appia Antica, Rome, Italy
The Hypogeum of Vibia is an underground burial site along Via Appia Antica in Rome featuring three levels of galleries with eight private burial chambers carved into bedrock 7 to 9 meters (23 to 30 feet) below ground. The chambers are decorated with paintings and hold the remains of Vibia and her husband Vincentius.
Built around 350 CE, this burial site served Vibia and her husband Vincentius, who was a priest of the Thraco-Phrygian god Sabazios. What started as separate underground spaces were later connected together and decorated with elements from multiple religious traditions.
The painted walls show mythological scenes, particularly Vibia portrayed as Proserpina being carried away by Pluto, along with inscriptions and depictions of banquets. These images reveal the religious beliefs that mattered to the family and how they expressed their faith through art.
Access requires advance reservations made by email or phone, and the site is located about 1.5 kilometers (1 mile) outside the Aurelian Walls. Visitors should prepare for tight earthen passages and bring sturdy shoes and a jacket, as the underground environment is cool and damp.
The site displays an uncommon blend of elements from both Mithraic Mysteries and the Sabazios cult, suggesting a family with diverse religious beliefs. This combination of different faith traditions in one place is rare and reveals much about the religious openness of that period.
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