Burial within the pomerium or sacred boundary of the city was generally prohibited. Although the precise extent of the pomerium at the various stages of its history is uncertain, it is believed to have later been coterminous with the Aurelian Walls, perhaps extending to the area of the Porta Maggiore after its expansion by Claudius. Streets of tombs in a prominent position just outside the city gates are known from Pompeii as well as the Via Appia.
Inhabitants were usually not allowed to bury their dead within the city's sacred limits. The exact boundaries of the city throughout its history remain uncertain, but it is believed that they eventually matched the Aurelian Walls, possibly stretching beyond the Porta Maggiore after Claudius' expansion. There are also records of elaborate tombs lining prominent streets near the city gates in Pompeii and the Via Appia.