These catacombs are among the oldest and largest underground cemeteries in Rome. They extend along the ancient via Ardeatina consisting of 17 km of galleries over four levels with a total of 150,000 burials and an underground basilica.
The first galleries were excavated in the second and third centuries AD, within the property of the patrician Flavia Domitilla, who, according to tradition, placed her possessions at the disposal of the Christian community living on the Ardeatina, following a common practice of the time.
Originally the catacombs were made up of independent tomb complexes, the oldest of which included the hypogeum of the Flavii and the section called of Ampliatus. Between these first two focal points, a large burial area developed which was initially independent. One part of the cemetery was probably reserved for those who worked for the provision of the city's grain supply, as is implied by paintings. The cemetery includes some of the oldest catacomb wall-paintings.