Mamertine Prison

The Mamertine Prison stands at the foot of the Capitoline Hill in Rome, directly beside the Roman Forum, and ranks among the oldest surviving structures in the city. Known in antiquity as the Tullianum, it served as the state prison of ancient Rome, holding enemies of the republic and empire before their execution or public display in triumph. Among those said to have been imprisoned here are the Gallic chieftain Vercingetorix, defeated by Julius Caesar, and the Numidian king Jugurtha. Christian tradition also associates the site with the apostles Peter and Paul, and a church, San Giuseppe dei Falegnami, was later built above the ancient chambers.

Visitors today descend into the lower chamber, carved from the tufa rock, where the atmosphere of the ancient city feels immediate and unmediated. The prison is accessible as a standalone visit or as part of combined tickets that include the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill, allowing the site to be experienced alongside the wider monumental centre of ancient Rome.