This church takes its name from the fact that it is built on the site of a Roman mausoleum.
It was built to house a fresco (14th century) that was originally on the ruins of this mausoleum, which performed a miracle in 1592. This image survives in a niche behind the high altar.
Roman Inscriptions
The Lapidarium contains two inscriptions from this church:
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✴A funerary inscription (CIL XI 5273), which dates to the 2nd century AD, commemorated Caius Appius Adiutor, son of Caius, member of the Lemonia Tribe, who had held the post of “Princeps” of the 22nd (Primigenia) Legion. (The cognomen “Adiutor” means batman and “Princeps” was used in the Roman military for the head of an administrative unit). The dedication was made by the freedman, Caius Appius Eutyches.
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✴Another inscription (CIL XI 5276), which came from the facade, commemorates the duoviri Gnaeus Equasius and Lucius Elius and therefore post-dates the formation of the Roman colony.
Art from the Church
Madonna and Child with saints (ca. 1595)
This panel, which depicts the Madonna and Child with the Blessed Andrew Caccioli and SS Laurence, Herculanus and Felix, is now in the nearby parish church of Santa Croce in Limiti.
