When these tombs were discovered the whole world of Rome
flocked to see them, and some modem barbarian,' not contented with
stealing the skulls and carrying off the fragments of marble and
vases which lay profusely scattered over the ground, knocked off one
of the most perfect of the stucco figures at the comer of the painted
tomb and carried it off.*

Here also were unearthed the foundations of the early Christian
basilica dedicated to St. Stephen, and built by St. Demetria, the
first nun, at the instance of the Pope St. Leo the Great, who was
the head of the church from a.d. 440 to 461. Bosio, the great ex-
plorer of Christian remains, had failed to discover it ; but there it lay
hidden under the grassy mould at the third mile-stone on the Via
Latina, just as it was described by Aringhi two hundred years ago.
It was in complete ruin, being razed to its foundations. Twenty-
two columns of rare and beautiful marble, one of which is of verde
cmticOy and several of breccia and cipdlino marino, were- found top-
pled down among its debris^ as well as forty bases and more than
thirty capitals, and numberless architectural ornaments attesting the
richness of the old basilica.
Here too was exposed to view the old pavement of the Via Latina,
worn into ruts by the narrow plaustra and higcB of the ancient Ro-
mans, clearly showing that a drive was no joke in those days. 'At
the side of the road are also raised walks for foot passengers, similar
to those in Pompeii.
