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.
Interment outside the sacred city boundary was generally forbidden. The precise limits of the city's boundary throughout its history are unclear, but it is thought to have eventually coincided with the Aurelian Walls, possibly extending beyond the Porta Maggiore after Claudius' expansion. Tombs lining prominent streets near city gates are also documented in Pompeii and the Via Appia.