NOVAZIANO, CIMITERO detto di.
Discovered in 1926 and in 1929 during the widening of the Via Tiburtina and the opening of Viale Regina Margherita at the height of the basilica of St. Lawrence outside the Walls. No Christian topographical document marks it, so its original name is unknown; the name "of Novatian" comes from the tomb of a martyr of the same name, likewise unknown to ancient sources, discovered in a gallery.
Originally the cemetery consisted of two levels: the first, discovered in 1926 and found stripped of all archaeological material, is now almost completely destroyed following roadworks. The second, however, uncovered in 1929 and not yet fully explored, is very well preserved. The cemetery area was excavated in a very regular manner. From the original entrance, located to the west, one descends into a large gallery from which two others branch off perpendicularly, allowing easy access to five others parallel to the first and through them to secondary tunnels. These galleries were partly lowered by about two meters; moreover, it has been observed that some of them were filled with rubble by the gravediggers themselves. No paintings have come to light, and the use of arcosolia and cubicula is rather rare. The loculi, partly intact, are closed with marble slabs, tiles, or tiles plastered and stuccoed, with evident traces in some cases of the fragrant liquids poured on the tombs as a sign of devout veneration. Numerous small objects were found embedded in the lime used to seal them, including an alabaster Winged Victory, gilded glass, articulated ivory dolls, lamps (one with Serapis), a stone with the god Apis, a bronze blade with an Egyptian deity adorned with hieroglyphs (false), a superstitious amulet probably of Gnostic origin, and coins from 3rd-century emperors, etc. The numerous inscriptions in Latin and Greek, in which often only the name of the deceased appears, are carved on marble, scratched into the plaster, or painted in red. Some of these are important for their consular dates, which make it possible to establish that the cemetery complex was in use in the 3rd and 4th centuries, and for Christian onomastics and acclamation formulas. Notable are the inscriptions of Marcianus from the year 323 and of Valeria Eucle from 270, located in the first parallel gallery after the one at the foot of the ancient staircase. In the third parallel gallery are the inscriptions of Gamice (in Greek, unpublished) and of Calpurnia, both from 266, and that of Cirilla from 270 (in Greek), as well as a loculus closed with plaster on which an equilateral cross is painted. The two inscriptions from 266 are the oldest dated ones of underground Rome still in situ.
In the fourth parallel gallery, the following deserve mention: 1) the tomb of Antistia Eupubilina, in which were found the deceased’s ringleted hair, treated with henna and covered with a gold net; 2) the empty tomb of the martyr Novatian (found on April 1, 1932), consisting of a large niche with a table-tomb, once decorated with marbles and mosaics. The dedicatory inscription from the 4th century: NOVATIANO BEATISSIMO / MARTYRI GAUDENTIUS DIAC(ONUS) / FEC(IT), does not clarify the martyr’s identity, which remains uncertain despite all research. It has been proposed to identify him, but without decisive proof, either with an obscure Roman martyr Novatian, traces of whom remain in the laterculi of June 27 and 29 in the Hieronymian Martyrology (Martyr. Hieronymianum, pp. 337, 342), or with the Novatian schismatic (antipope), killed during the persecution of Valerian (257–58: Socrates, Hist. eccl., IV, 28; cf. also Pacian of Barcelona, Epist. II ad Sympronianum: PL 13, 1062; Eulogius of Alexandria [Fazio, Bibliotheca, cod. 182, 208, 280: PG 103, 533, 677; 104, 353] calls Novatian’s martyrdom false and pseudo-martyrdom). Against the identification with the antipope Novatian is the fact that the inscription does not bear the title of bishop, that the gallery where the martyr’s tomb is located seems to have been excavated after 270, and that moreover no indication of the cemetery’s belonging to the Novatian schismatic sect has been found in the numerous inscriptions discovered there. The end of the same gallery is occupied by a large and rich cubiculum, the family tomb of a certain Tullianus of equestrian rank; four marble sarcophagi were found there, three of which feature fine Christian scenes.
A. Pietro Frutaz