Protesilaus in Rome: The Tale of the Barberini Tomb

Not far from the ancient Appian Way lie the first 450 meters of the original route of the Via Latina, one of the very few Roman roads that has preserved its original appearance. Its origins are extremely ancient, and its name likely derives from the fact that it crossed the territories of the Latin League (subjugated by the Romans in the 4th century BC) or perhaps because it led to a place of worship on Mount Albanus, where the Feriae Latinae dedicated to Jupiter Latialis were celebrated. The road was built during the Samnite Wars, between 328 and 321 BC, but since prehistoric times, it had already served as a communication route between Lazio and Campania. Even the Etruscans traveled it for their trade. It was of fundamental importance during the Republican era for the Roman expansion into the South. The section from Cassino to Capua was actually built later, as it was linked to the Roman conquest of Campania (2nd century BC). The road was also used in the Middle Ages by Christian pilgrims, and along the first miles from the city, one would encounter several catacombs and churches. For this reason, it was restored by Pope Adrian I and Pope Leo II in the 8th century.
Along the road's edges, various types of tombs were built from the Republican era to the Early Middle Ages. It was, in fact, a Roman custom to bury the dead outside the pomerium (the sacred boundary of the city), but in frequented places, to perpetuate their memory.
The rediscovery of the ancient monuments on the Via Latina is due to the enterprising and unscrupulous initiative of Lorenzo Fortunati, a schoolteacher passionate about archaeology. At his own expense, he obtained permission from Pope Pius IX (1792-1878) to conduct excavations between 1857 and 1858

The Barberini Sepulchre: A Masterpiece on the Via Latina

One of the best-preserved monuments is the Barberini Sepulchre, perhaps because it was almost always inhabited by shepherds or used as a barn. This allowed for minimal maintenance, particularly of the roof, which prevented its collapse. It takes its name from the noble family that acquired the land in the 17th century and was its last owner. It is also called the "Tomb of the Cornelii," referring to a 16th-century drawing by Pirro Ligorio that reported a fragment of an inscription (now lost) on the tomb's facade mentioning a certain "Q. CORNELIUS," possibly the founder of the family whose members were buried here.
Cornelius (feminine Cornelia) was the nomen (family name) of one of the most important patrician gentes of ancient Rome, whose history dates back to the dawn of Roman history. They were at the height of their power during the Republican era.
The Barberini were a noble family who, during the 17th century in Rome, amassed an art collection, one of the foremost expressions of the Baroque. The dominant figure in their patronage was Pope Urban VIII (1568-1644), whose policies became a true manifesto of Baroque art, reaching peaks in every artistic field, from literature to architecture, painting, and sculpture (though the collection of ancient marbles was marginal in quantity compared to other contemporary Roman collections). The collection's evolution was due to his nephews who operated within the papal orbit: the cardinal-nephews Antonio the Younger and, especially, Francesco the Elder, as well as the Prince of Palestrina, Taddeo Barberini. When the main branch of the family became extinct at the end of the 18th century with Cornelia Costanza, the last direct descendant, the collection (which had already seen the sale of some pieces to cover family debts) was severely divided following her marriage to a member of the Colonna di Sciarra family. This led to two lines: the original Barberini, Princes of Palestrina, and the heirs of the Colonna titles, Princes of Carbognano, the latter of whom sold another large portion of the collection's works. A subsequent fragmentation occurred in the 19th century, with the Barberini heirs of the Princes of Palestrina creating two further family branches related to the Corsini (who donated much of their collection, including some Barberini pieces, to the Italian State in 1892) and the Sacchetti.
The Italian State, in 1879, immediately after the unification of Italy, expropriated the lands containing the archaeological site of the Via Latina. Restorations continued under the direction of Rodolfo Lanciani, and finally, the area was designated as a park on the initiative of Minister Baccelli in the early 1900s.
The Barberini Sepulchre dates back to the second half of the 2nd century AD (circa 160 AD), the age of the Antonines, commissioned by an aristocratic patron of the highest level. It was built with the typical technique of temple-like tombs made of polychrome bricks, creating a striking chromatic effect: one reddish (obtained from crushed tiles) and the other yellow (from yellow bricks). It consists of two above-ground levels and one underground level (hypogeum) in an excellent state of preservation. Originally, the tomb was completely surrounded by a low wall, delimiting a narrow, uncovered walkway with a black and white mosaic floor. This walkway provided access both to the ground floor entrance (on the side opposite the Via Latina) and to the external double-ramp staircase, built within an added structure with a double-pitched roof, which led to the subterranean burial chamber.
The upper floor is covered by a cross vault entirely coated with plaster, frescoed with a red background and stucco elements. Groups of figures, winged victories on chariots, cupids, birds, sea creatures, mythological subjects, and architectural backdrops are recognizable. On this floor, there is a single large arched window, where the statue of the deceased was probably placed, looking out onto the road to remind passersby of the dead. Given the size of the window, some suggest there might have been a triclinium (dining room) or a sort of "panoramic terrace." At the top, one can see the tympanum supporting the roof.
The central floor was used for funerary rites, where relatives would feast, remembering the deceased and believing they participated in spirit and were pleased with the family celebration. The external wall shows three walled-up openings: the two side ones were rectangular windows, while the central one was a frame for the sepulchral title, the marble plaque bearing the names of the deceased.
In the semi-basement is the burial chamber (where the remains of the dead are kept). This is the underground part of the tomb, already known and visited in the 16th century, but remained hidden due to ancient demolitions and later the silting up of the surrounding area. The hypogeum housed numerous burials on the side walls (arcosolia tombs and niches for cinerary urns) and under the mosaic floor (sealed formae with marble slabs containing capuchin tombs on three superimposed levels).

The Barberini Sarcophagus: The Myth of Protesilaus and Laodamia

Housed in the main burial chamber was the famous Barberini Sarcophagus, decorated with relief scenes depicting the myth of Protesilaus and Laodamia, currently preserved in the Vatican Museums.
Protesilaus (or Iolaus) is a character in Greek mythology. He was a prince of Thessaly, descended from Poseidon, and grew up to rule Phylace. Protesilaus was one of the Achaean leaders who joined Agamemnon and Menelaus’ forces in the Trojan War, commanding forty ships. Unfortunately, he shared a vessel with the great hero Achilles. Before departing for Troy, an oracle prophesied, “the first Greek to set foot on Trojan soil will be the first to die.” Seeing that none of the Greeks dared to advance, Achilles was prepared to leap ashore, but his mother, Thetis, held him back and pushed Protesilaus forward instead. Protesilaus thus became “the first to set foot in the Troad” and was slain by Hector, son of Priam, King of Troy. His death is only briefly mentioned in the Iliad, with sources differing on his killer, naming variously Euphorbus, Cycnus, or Achates as possible culprits.
Laodamia was the wife of Protesilaus, who had left on their wedding day. She became so desperate that she moved Pluto and Proserpina, who allowed Protesilaus to return from the Underworld to spend one last night with her. However, the following day, Laodamia, unable to leave her husband, killed herself.
Looking at the photo of the sarcophagus, we notice from left to right the following scenes:
• Scene 1 (The Landing): The scene takes place on the beach in front of Troy. The hero is getting off the ship to be killed, a moment later, by Achates who is approaching from the left. Perhaps Protesilaus' hand once held a spear, while his right foot rests on the narrow path leading from ship to shore. Achates's shield is decorated with a gorgoneion (a Gorgon head), and a portion of his spear is still visible on the bas-relief.
• Scene 2 (The Death): Protesilaus is dying; behind his body lying on the ground, his standing shadow (or imago) is carved completely veiled. Close to him is Hermes with the caduceus leaning on his left arm. The god is represented as Hermes Psychopompos, the conductor of souls to the Underworld. On the ground, between the two characters, the fallen shield of Protesilaus is recognizable.
• Scene 3 (The Return): This scene describes the momentary return of Protesilaus from Hades. Hermes leads back the hero, represented as a vigorous and youthful man. His raised right hand expresses astonishment and joy at seeing his house and his bride again.
• Scene 4 (The Reunion): The next scene depicts the meeting—which in the myth lasts only one day—between Laodamia and Protesilaus. The most important episode of the overall frieze is carved in the center of the frontal panel. Their palace is the backdrop to the scene; similar to that of a temple, the façade emphasizes their meeting. It is conceived and described in a cold and impersonal way: in front of their palace, bride and groom simply shake hands. The reason for this strictly formal representation is that the two mythical characters had to carry the portraits of the sarcophagus's buyers. The woman, who perhaps commissioned the sarcophagus after her husband's death, wanted to express their intimate connection and her hope to meet him again in a future life. Often, according to the Latin word concordia (harmony), this iconographic scheme served to celebrate marital blamelessness with "scenes of everyday life" on sarcophagi friezes. The dead man, portrayed as Protesilaus, does not wear the toga; he is represented naked and standing before his wife. To a modern observer, the final iconographic result looks curiously "hybrid": on one hand, it celebrates the same virile qualities typical of statues of Hellenistic rulers portrayed in "heroic nudity," but at the same time maintains the decorum required by the dextrarum iunctio (clasping of right hands). The wife of the deceased, represented as Laodamia, is instead celebrated for her chastity and modesty: moral qualities enhanced by her long robe and the gesture of her hand holding her mantle.
• Scene 5 (The Farewell): Overcome with grief for the imminent separation, Laodamia lies on a kline (a couch). Her groom, seated near her, looks away from his wife. He leans his head on his hand with a gloomy and melancholy expression. Laodamia once held (the hand is now lost) the dagger she used to commit suicide after her husband's new departure. The cult tools (dishes, a flute) visible under the bed, as well as the mask and thyrsus inside the small aedicule on the wall, point to the funerary ceremonies Laodamia celebrated in honor of her dead husband. This cult of the dead is openly presented as a Dionysiac cult. The veiled figure behind Laodamia's bed could be interpreted by analogy with the left half of the frieze as the shadow of Protesilaus again on his way to Hades. According to another hypothesis, this shadow could represent the cult-image of Protesilaus venerated by Laodamia.
• Scene 6 (The Descent): The interpretation of the veiled figure as a cult image seems confirmed by the last scene on the far right, in which the hero appears in human shape—a metamorphosis difficult to explain if the veiled figure of the previous scene was the hero's shadow. Led by Hermes, Protesilaus greets Charon, who will ferry him to the Underworld in his small boat. To the right, an arch behind Charon's ship closes the relief in perfect symmetry with the opposite corner. This arch marks the entrance of Hades.

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This page was last edited on 22 April 2026