roman cemeteries were located outside the sacred boundary of its cities (""). they were visited regularly with offerings of food and wine, and special observances during roman festivals in honor of the dead. funeral monuments appear throughout the roman empire, and their inscriptions are an important source of information for otherwise unknown individuals and history. a roman sarcophagus could be an elaborately crafted art work, decorated with relief sculpture depicting a scene that was allegorical, mythological, or historical, or a scene from everyday life.