Antonio Bosio

Antonio Bosio (* 1575 in Malta, † September 6, 1629 in Rome ) was an Italian Christian archaeologist.

Life

Born about 1575 in Malta Antonio Bosio came at a young age to Rome at his uncle, the historian of the Order of St. John, Giacomo Bosio. Later he studied in Rome, literature, law and philosophy, and was subsequently employed as a lawyer in St. John. In 1593 he began - initially in support of Pompeo Ugonio - to explore the catacombs in Rome; The first explored the catacombs were the Domitilla catacombs. For 36 years he worked with them and found several. At the same time martyr him interested, works of the Church Fathers and Councils, which he made ​​himself useful to discover more catacombs in Rome. In 1629 Bosio died in Rome, but he left no written works.

The Oratorian Giovanni Severano were three years after Bosio's death out his life's work under the title Roma Sotterranea. This work and further research of Giovanni Battista de Rossi are the foundation of Katakombenforschung and are still in use. Bosio is one of the founders of Katakombenerforschung and is called the Columbus of the Catacombs.