NOVA

S41E14 Roman Catacomb Mystery

Beneath Rome's bustling streets lies an ancient resting place known as the Catacombs—a sprawling network of tunnels adorned with the tombs of long-gone citizens. In 2002, while repairing a damaged water main, maintenance workers stumbled upon an unprecedented burial chamber containing a mass grave of hundreds of bodies within six roughly hewn caverns, untouched for nearly 2000 years. Who were these individuals? Could they be Christian martyrs executed by the Emperor, or victims of a catastrophic plague? In “Roman Catacomb Mystery,” NOVA embarks on a forensic journey to unravel the enigmas of life, death, and disease during the height of the Roman Empire.