Basilica of Generosa

At the sixth mile of the via Portuense, along the right bank of the Tiber, on a hill later called Monte delle Piche, epigraphic sources testify to the existence of a pagan sanctuary dedicated to the Goddess Dia: the priestly college of the Fratres Arvales.

At a certain point this hill began to be used as a pozzolana quarry, both underground and outdoors. Probably between the end of the 3rd century AD. and the beginning of the 4th century AD. the quarry was abandoned and was used by the Christian community as a burial place, transforming into the ad sextum Philippi or super Philippi cemetery, known precisely as the Generosa catacomb. The martyrs Simplicio, Faustino and Beatrice were buried in the catacomb. Subsequently, Pope Damasus (366 - 384 AD) had a semi-pogean basilica built which was found by chance and excavated towards the middle of the 19th century by G.B. De Rossi.

The basilica in its entirety was brought to light in the 1980s: excavations revealed a building of considerable size, approximately 20x14 meters wide, leaning on three sides against the tuff bank of the hill excavated for this purpose. It was divided into three naves, of different widths (it was accessible only from the west), with a sort of narthex on the front and a rather deformed and decentralized apse compared to the longitudinal axis of the basilica which was thus slightly oblique: this was precisely to adapt to the already existing tomb of the martyrs, buried in the catacomb.

The floor was not found but numerous pit tombs were found beneath its floor. Some were located near the apse area, in front of the altar: here masonry coffers came to light, closed by marble epigraphs, which then served as the floor of the church itself. Two in particular can be dated to 382 and 394 respectively, which dates the beginning of construction to the Damasian era, or in any case under the commission of Pope Damasus. The Damasian basilica maintained its funerary purpose at least until the end of the 5th or the beginning of the 6th century, after which this use ceased.