the tour includes the excavations under the Basilica of Santa Cecilia, the Excubitorium of the VII Cohort of Guards and the archaeological area beneath the Church of San Crisogono.
We will begin our tour in the area below the basilica dedicated to Saint Cecilia, uncovered during restoration work at the end of the XIX century. These ancient Roman remains are believed to be part of the home of Valerian, the husband of Saint Cecilia.
This is the original Roman house where, according to tradition, Cecilia was martyred in 230 AD, later transformed into an early titulus church before the V century.
We will visit a series of rooms, the earliest phase of which goes back to the Republican era, with walls built with tufo blocks and in opus reticolata.
There are several other building phases constructed in brick, dating from the II to the IV centuries.
Well preserved portions of mosaic floors and a relief depicting Minerva have been brought to light.
The Minerva statue probably stood in the Larario once part of the Roman house, before it was transformed into a Christian church.
Among these rooms is one very large with eight circular vats in brick, inserted into the ground, maybe used for storing food or possibly as containers for tanning leather.
We will continue our walking tour a little further to reach the via della Settima Coorte where at no 9 we will find the entrance to the Excubitorium. This Roman building, located eight metres below street level was excavated in 1865-66 during public works in this area. Thanks to numerous examples of ancient graffiti on the plaster walls citing the VII Cohort of fireman, archaeologists were immediately able to identify the brick building and it was clear this was a branch of the above Cohort whose headquarters were situated in the Campo Marzio.
Our last visit on this tour will be to the area underneath San Crisogono church, to witness the remains of the original early Christian church, excavated at the start of the twentieth century.
A titulus dedicated to San Crisogono, whose cult originated in Aquileia in northeastern Italy, was founded here at the start of the V century, over a pre-existing Roman block of flats – insula – from the II-III century.
The nave was 30 meters long with a much higher pavement level than before because of the recurring problem of flooding from the River Tiber.
Halfway through the V century the altar area was enlarged and an apse was constructed with two transepts.
A sacristy and a baptistery were also added, erected over a Roman fullonica (where clothes were dyed).
From later restorations, dating from the VI and VII centuries, we will see fragments of very early frescoes on the south wall representing scenes from the Old and New Testament.
There are also portions of a velum, faux drapes which would once have been present along the lower register of the paintings.
The most important restoration, again due to the frequent problem of flooding, took place in the VIII century and is attributed to Pope Gregory III.
The altar area was raised and a circular crypt created to house the relics of the Holy Martyrs Crisogono, Anastasia and Rufino. A new cycle of frescoes was also added.
The last major restoration dates back to the XI century and was commissioned by Pope Stephen IX. On the north wall episodes from the lives of Saints Benedict, Silvester, Placido and Pantaleone were painted over an earlier cycle of images.
The original basilica of San Crisogono was in use up until 1124 when, due to continuous flooding and ensuing subsidence, a new church was built over the remains of the original at current street level.
