supposed to have been built about A.D. 400, was discovered, the top
being only a few feet below the ground. It is supposed to have been
originally built for the devotees who resorted to the tombs of the
martyrs, and was destroyed by the Lombardians. On the wall of the
tribune is a _graffito_ of a priest preaching, probably S. Gregory,
whose chair was removed from here to the church of SS. Nereo e
Achilleo. (See page 279.)
Beneath the floor were discovered many tombs covered over when the
basilica was built. It is being restored as a monument to Monsieur
Merodi.
A fresco was found representing S. Petronilla receiving Veneranda.
Several inscriptions have been found; also the columns which supported
the baldachino, on which are represented the martyrdoms of SS.
Achilleus and Nereus.
The Romans built an altar at the springs of the river Numicius to
Anna, the sister of Dido, who became the wife of the god of the river
Numicius, and was called Anna Perenna. (See Ovid, "Fasti," iii. 542.)
The Roman Church erected a chapel to her on the same spot, under the
title of Santa Petronilla, said, without scriptural authority, to have
been S. Peter's daughter, and to have died in Rome, May 30th, A.D. 98,
in the reign of Domitian. This could not be the case, for Domitian
died A.D. 96, and Trajan was emperor before the last of May A.D. 98,
Nerva having reigned between. _Straight on leads to S. Paul's outside
the walls._
_Returning to the Via Appia, on the right is the_