View Article: Via Appia Antica : Queen of Roads

	Via Appia Antica : Queen of Roads
	written by Anabelle Sutcliffe / 07.12.2004

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Location

Via Appia Antica

Connection to Research

I did not imagine the Via Appia Antica to be as much of a country road as it seemed. I figured that it now would be a popular tourist destination with buildings and modern roads running along side it. The road is now used for walking, running and bicycling on Sundays when it is closed to motor transportation. The large flattened stones from the orignial road are still intact. The area in which the road passes through is very peaceful and natural compared with downtown Rome.

Element of Interest

Along the edge of the Via Appia Antica is the very large tomb of Cecilia Metella. The tomb looks like the corner of an ancient castle with its brick column and thick walls built adjacent to the road. Many tombs lie near the Via Appica Antica however I was unaware that this tomb existed in my previous research. Very little is known about Cecilia Metella other than the obvious fact that she must have been very wealthy to afford such an enormous tomb.

Questions

The Via Appia Antica is 10 Roman miles long. The road is very straight. Even though the large flattened stones make the road quite uneven, our group was passed by many cyclists travelling on Sunday when the road is blocked off to cars and trucks.

I did not find any information describing how the stones to build the road where brought in however we learned in visiting other ancient sites constructed with similar materials that the stones etc. were transported with horse-drawn carriages and slaves.

I am still curious to know more about Cecilia Metella and why her tomb was so large?

Image Analysis

Via Appia Antica cobblestones

This image shows the large cobblestones of the Via Appia Antica. The road had to be wide enough for five Roman soldiers to march next to one another. Carriages also travelled along this road. The grooves still remain indented in the flattened stones of the road as the photograph shows in the lower left portion. To the left of the picture are the fields and pastures where Romans were buried in the ancient times. Trees hang over most of the road creating shade for travellers. It is also visible to see how large the stones are in comparison to a person's feet.

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