What method replaced fire burial during the Roman Empire?

During the Roman Empire, the practice of cremation was prevalent, but as time progressed, especially by the late Imperial period, inhumation became the more accepted method of disposing of the dead. Inhumation refers to the burial of the body in the ground or a tomb, which became the dominant form of burial in many parts of the Roman Empire, reflecting changing cultural and religious beliefs.

The shift towards inhumation was influenced by various factors, including the rise of Christianity, which emphasized the resurrection of the body and the sanctity of the physical form. This cultural shift marked a significant change in funerary practices, moving away from the older customs like cremation and establishing inhumation as the standard.

In contrast to the other options, exhumation refers to the act of digging up a buried body, which is typically done for legal or investigative purposes rather than as a method of burial. Transformation does not relate to any established funerary practice within this historical context. Thus, inhumation is the correct answer because it accurately describes the method that replaced cremation during the Roman Empire.