The Mamertine Prison, or Tullianum, was Rome's first prison. It was built around 640 BCE. It is located near the Roman Forum. It was built by Ancus Marcius, the fourth king of Rome. The prison housed people before they were executed and was simply known as “carcer” to the Romans. It is widely believed that the prison held Saint Peter and Saint Paul, for which the prison is famous. In addition to Peter and Paul, other noteworthy inmates included Vercingetorix, the chief of the Gauls, and Jugartha, the King of Numidia.
Servius Tullius, the sixth king of Rome, added a dungeon to the jail to enlarge it. The original purpose of the prison was not for punishment, but for law-breakers to await execution. The church of San Giuseppe dei Falegnami (Saint Joseph of the Carpenters) now stands over the ancient prison. In carcere, homines mortem expectaverunt. In carcere, mors a hominibus exspectatum est.
Works Cited
Bloom, Harold. Rome. New York: Chelsea House, 2005. Infobase eBooks. Web. 8 Mar. 2017.<http://ebooks.infobaselearning.com/View.aspx?ISBN=9781438115580&InstID=14862>.
Hill, Bryan. "The Infamous Mamertine Prison and the Supposed Incarceration of Saint Peter." Ancient Origins. Ancient Origins, n.d. Web. 20 Mar. 2017. <http://www.ancient-origins.net/ancient-places-europe/infamous-mamertine-prison-and-supposed-incarceration-saint-peter-003447>.
"Mamertine Prison - Rome." Mamertine Prison - Rome. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2017. <http://www.rome-tour.co.uk/mamertine_prison.htm>.
Norris, Shawn. "Rome’s First State Prison – The Tullianum." Rome Across Europe. N.p., 06 July 2015. Web. 20 Mar. 2017.<http://www.romeacrosseurope.com/?p=1092#sthash.UnAlTjAI.dpbs>.
Credits:
Hill, Bryan. "The Infamous Mamertine Prison and the Supposed Incarceration of Saint Peter." Ancient Origins. Ancient Origins, n.d. Web. 20 Mar. 2017. <http://www.ancient-origins.net/ancient-places-europe/infamous-mamertine-prison-and-supposed-incarceration-saint-peter-003447>. "Mamertine Prison - Rome." Mamertine Prison - Rome. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2017. <http://www.rome-tour.co.uk/mamertine_prison.htm>. Norris, Shawn. "Rome’s First State Prison – The Tullianum." Rome Across Europe. N.p., 06 July 2015. Web. 20 Mar. 2017.<http://www.romeacrosseurope.com/?p=1092#sthash.UnAlTjAI.dpbs>.