There is, however, an obvious and serious problem with the inscription. He surmised that the origin of the church was the house of a martyr called St Bonosa, who is otherwise unknown, and that the room mentioned was part of it.Īrmellini's argument derives from the date of the inscription, since in the 5th century no martyrs' relics were being brought into the city from the catacombs. There was also possible 5th century coloured plasterwork in a room off the right side of the church.

This was under the cantoria or singers' balcony on the left hand side. Mariano Armellini claimed to have found evidence of 8th and 9th century fabric in the building, with remnants of a fresco of the same period showing youthful saints' heads. This looks as if it might have been the foundation inscription. ('I, Deusdedit, lover of the place of St 'Botum' happily did this. It was found here in 1870, and read:Įgo Deusdedit, amator loci Sancti Botum, fecit feliciter. An inscription exists indicating that a church existed here already in the 5 th century.

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