Aliyev Road in Italy. Appian Way in Rome, Italy

Appian Way in Rome is still evidence of the greatness of the Empire through whose territory it is laid. The history of the creation of the Appian Way dates back to the 4th-2nd centuries BC. It was built in stages:

200-kilometer stretch of road connecting Rome and Capua (IV century BC);
40 km – from Capua to Benevento (III century BC);
300 km - from Benevento to the port in the Adriatic Sea called Brundisi (2nd century BC).

The laying of the path began in 312 BC. by order of the consul and military leader Appius Claudius. The censor pursued not only ambitious goals. He created a canvas along which the rapid transition of troops to and from Rome was carried out. It also connected several regions of the Empire and was used as a trade route. These functions continued until the Middle Ages. Then the road began to be used by pilgrims visiting holy places.

Ancient construction technologies

The ancient masonry of the Appian Way is still preserved. The secret of its durability lies in the unique technologies of those times. The processed stones were laid on a flat surface covered with sand and pebbles. A border was laid on the sides of the canvas and recesses were dug for water drainage. The surface of the track is made slightly curved to prevent moisture retention. The width of the canvas is sufficient to move two chariots.

Some areas old Appian Way Lost coverage was not due to time. This is the result of people's actions. The owners of the plots of land located along the route used stones removed from the masonry to construct buildings.

Sights of the Appian Way

Before you know how to get to the Appian Way in Rome, it is worth familiarizing yourself with the list of attractions.

The journey can begin at the gate of San Sebastiano. This building attracts tourists with its varied architecture. Both parts of the gate have their own history:

in the 3rd century BC a square lower tier was laid out of processed stone;
in the 5th century the building was completed and strengthened. Semicircular towers made of brick appeared on a square base. They are decorated with crenellations and have small windows.

Everyone can visit the San Sebastiano Gate building, which has become a museum. For 3 € you can see an exhibition dedicated to the history of the development of fortifications. The price includes a walk along the walls, from the height of which you can see the ancient defensive structures. On Mondays the museum is closed to visitors.

Not far from the gate is the Domine Quo Vadis church. In its place there was a meeting between Peter and Jesus Christ.

Inside the temple there is a shrine - a copy of the slab with the imprints of the Savior’s feet. The text engraved on the relic is a parting word for wanderers.

The next stage of the trip could be Carfarella Park. It occupies a vast territory, where it is customary to travel on foot or by bicycle. Two-wheelers can be rented here. Carfarella is interesting for its meadows, caves, and streams. Here you will not find modern food outlets: cafes and restaurants. On the way you will only come across small fountains with drinking water. You can visit a sheep farm and buy the cheese produced there.

If you don’t want to walk around the park, just turn off and go around it. In this case excursion along the Appian Way will continue in the burial places of the ancient Romans - Catacombe di San Callisto. You can visit the attraction on any day except Wednesday. Walking through the catacombs is allowed only in the presence of a guide. Ticket price 9 €.

Other famous objects are located along the canvas:

How to get to the Appian Way

There are two options for visiting the attraction: walking or traveling by vehicle. In the first case, the tourist will have to face some inconveniences:

large expenditures of time and effort;
lack of sidewalks;
the need to constantly give way to cars.

How to get to the Appian Way in Rome? There are several solutions:

Renting a car will cost 12-25 EUR per day.
Travel by Archeobas tourist bus, which starts from Termini station.
Travel by regular bus: number 118 goes from the Piramide metro station, and number 218 from the San Giovanni Cathedral.

Whatever method of transportation you choose, traveling along the Appian Way will bring only positive emotions!

The Appian Way is the most famous of those built by the ancient Romans. This is an ancient highway of “federal importance” connecting the main cities of the Roman Empire. Paved with huge cobblestones in three rows, it is interesting not only as a miracle of ancient engineering: there are also many interesting sights along it. You should definitely come here to experience the unique atmosphere of the Eternal City.

Why Appian?

The road received this name in honor of Appius Claudius, the consul and military leader, who came up with the idea of construction. He was also involved in its construction (the beginning of the construction dates back to 312 BC), spending almost the entire state budget on this. He was criticized for his waste for a long time, but subsequently the economic feasibility of the road was confirmed more than once.

In ancient times, the Romans also called her Regina Viarum, translated as “queen of roads.”

Political opponents also reproached Appius for using the expensive project to glorify his name. There is some truth in this: despite the enormous contribution that the consul made to the development of jurisprudence and literature of Ancient Rome, the first thing that comes to mind when his name is mentioned is the road.

The Miracles of Roman Road Construction

The Romans learned to build excellent roads more than 2000 years ago BC.

The Appian Way was built in stages from the 4th century BC. to 2nd century BC The oldest section of the road, about 200 km long, led from Rome to the southeast, to the city of Capua. Then the second section was built - to the city of Benevento, which is 40 km east of Capua. The final segment was a 300-kilometer road southeast from Benevento to Brundisi, a port on the Adriatic Sea. From there they were transported to the Balkan Peninsula. There, in the place where the Albanian city of Durres now stands, another Roman road began - Egnatieva, which led to Constantinople.

The uniqueness of the Appian Way is not so much in its length as in its durability - although it has been actively used for almost one and a half thousand years, it can still be used for its intended purpose. The same sections of the roadway that were unsuitable for this were destroyed not by time, but by the owners of roadside lands: when the road was no longer used in the Middle Ages, they uprooted stone slabs from it to use them in building houses.

The secret to the wear resistance of the coating was in advanced technologies for that time: hills and lowlands were pre-leveled, hewn stones were laid on several layers of pebbles and sand, the surface of the surface was made curved so that puddles would not form after rains, and a ditch was dug along the side of the road to drain rainwater. The width of the road was designed so that two chariots could pass each other.

What was Appia needed for?

This road played an important role in the life of Ancient Rome: it connected the capital with remote parts of the empire, which was very important for control over these regions. It quickly transported troops both from Rome and to Rome. In addition, the highway was used as a trade route, connecting several regions of the empire. The economic and military importance of the Appian Way continued until the Middle Ages, when it gradually became a pedestrian route for pilgrims.

From the first years of the road’s existence, the areas adjacent to it began to be used for the construction of family crypts, tombs and memorial steles. The Roman nobility buried their dead relatives here for reasons of prestige. But there was another reason: burial within the boundaries of Rome was prohibited, so they buried them outside the city, and the best place for this was near the road, along which it is convenient to get to the grave.

Attractions along the Appian Way

There are so many architectural monuments in the areas adjacent to the road that special excursions are held to explore them, which in terms of program intensity are quite comparable to city tours. Of particular interest are the first 10 kilometers of the road, along which dozens of majestic tombs with the ashes of famous Romans were built.

The most interesting attractions of the Appian Way:

Mausoleum Cecilia Metella (Mausoleo di Cecilia Metella)

It would be more correct to call it a tomb or tomb, but the sarcophagus with the remains of the consul’s daughter was moved to another place, and the shape of the building is so reminiscent of a fortress tower that it is perceived as such. For some time it served as a military fortification - 13 centuries after its construction it was used in this capacity for protection from enemies.

Villa dei Quintili

The ruins of a huge estate that once belonged to a wealthy family. In the 2nd century, the Roman emperor arbitrarily seized a luxurious villa, killing its owners. For a short period of time, it even became his residence, but he did not enjoy his holiday there for long - he was killed here during the conspiracy.

Domine Quo Vadis Church

Fans of historical literature are well aware, if not of this church itself, then, in any case, of its name - the novel “Kamo Gryadeshi” (in the original Quo vadis) tells about an event that, according to legend, took place in this very place. Fleeing from Rome from persecution, the Apostle Peter met Christ here, and the famous dialogue took place between them: “Where are you going, Lord? (Domine quo vadis?),” the surprised Peter asked Christ. “I am going to Rome to be crucified a second time,” Jesus answered. After that, he disappeared, and Peter immediately returned to Rome, where he was executed.

Tomb of the Scipios (Sepolcro degli Scipioni)

Family tomb, in which from the 3rd century BC. to 1st century AD members of the aristocratic family were buried. In the fourth century AD, the tomb was no longer cared for, fell into disrepair, and was then completely forgotten. Archaeologists reached it only in the 18th century. Artifacts discovered during excavations became exhibits of the Vatican Museums.

How to get to the Appian Way from the center of Rome:

Easiest way to get there: take bus number 118, the stop of which is located in Piazza Venezia, opposite the Capitoline Hill. Get off at stop: Appia Antica-Domine Quo Vadis

Welcome to interesting excursions around Rome!

Trish Hartmann / flickr.com Stefano Costantini / flickr.com Stefano Costantini / flickr.com Mitch Barrie / flickr.com Carole Raddato / flickr.com Larry / flickr.com Patrick Morgan / flickr.com Stefano Costantini / flickr.com Roger W / flickr.com faungg's photos / flickr.com Church of Domine Quo Vadis (Darold Massaro / flickr.com)

A very ancient statement, dating back to the Middle Ages, says: all roads lead to Rome. If we talk about Rome, these are truly true words.

After all, the location of its roads was planned in such a way that the Romans could easily reach any point of the Apennine, and its strong, closely packed stones could support more than one truck. Patrician of the Peninsula and more. And the Appian Way is clear proof of this.

The history of the Appian Way, well preserved to this day, began at the end of the 4th BC. e. It connected Rome with Southern Italy, and the port of Brindisi opened a sea route to such important countries as Greece, Asia Minor and North Africa.

Appian Way in Rome (Larry / flickr.com)

If we trace the direction of the road in more detail, then at the beginning of its operation it connected Capua and Benevente, and during half a century of construction the road could be reached to Brindisi. Here the Romans erected two impressively sized marble columns, marking the end of the Appian Way.

To this day, only one column remains at this place. However, the second column did not completely disappear from the face of the Earth. In the 17th century, it was presented as a gift to the city of Lecce, which survived a terrible plague. And to perpetuate the end of this deadly disease, a column with the figure of the patron saint of the city, Saint Orontes, was installed in the very center of the city. And now this structure is called the Plague Pillar.

Carole Raddato / flickr.com

The Roman censor Appius Claudius Caecus is considered the founder of this nationally important object. However, there are more ancient sources that already contain information about the road. It is known for sure that it was Appius Claudius Caecus in 312 BC. e. ordered to pave this road for the unimpeded movement of Roman legions and trade caravans from Rome and back.

The Appian Way played a fundamental role in achieving the military, trade and economic goals of Ancient Rome. The construction of the road was such an important event in Rome that its detailed description was found in the manuscripts of the historian Titus Livy.

According to the ancient Greek historian Diodorus Siculus, the construction of the road proceeded thoroughly; Appius approached his creation quite seriously. He ordered all the holes and ravines to be filled in, as well as the hills to be demolished in order to level the road surface as much as possible.

In order to increase its area and length without distorting the road, he ordered to get rid of all swampy areas. The construction of the Appian Way was not cheap, and cost the treasury a fairly large sum.

The Secret to Durability

The Appian Way is an ancient fundamental object of Rome, which has come down to us in an almost pristine appearance. It functioned until the 6th century. n. e., and even now its strong, closely packed stones can support more than one truck.

Patrician Appius Claudius understood the importance of the existence of this route and did everything in his power to successfully complete the construction of the Appian Way.

The Great Road of Ancient Rome (Stefano Costantini / flickr.com)

What is the secret of the durability of the Appian Way? It's all about the structure of the road surface, which has several layers of stones up to one meter thick. The top cladding consists of smooth and neatly fitted basalt slabs and cobblestones. Even after hundreds of years, their integrity was not destroyed by external disasters.

There is information that Appius Claudius, testing the quality of the road flooring, tried to insert the blade of a sharp dagger into the stone joints. If he was able to cut a gap, that section of road was immediately rebuilt and re-laid.

The road has an almost perfectly flat surface, which served as a good crossing for chariots and foot convoys.

The Appian Way has another unique feature - a central elevation, due to which water in any quantity did not linger on the road surface, and the road always remained clean and dry.

Appian Way and surrounding areas

The Appian Way is very well designed. Mileposts are installed at regular intervals along the sides of the road, indicating to their travelers the mileage of the route they have traveled. There are also resting places and many other objects that are important for people who have traveled a considerable distance.

Cars driving along the Appian Way (Mitch Barrie / flickr.com)

The cities through which the Appian Way passed were equipped with churches, visiting courts and eateries. Some of its places are equipped with walking paths.

The width of the road, which is 4 meters, allowed two chariots to pass each other, and in our days - two cars.

During its existence, the Appian Way was both a warpath, a major trade and economic link, and a pilgrimage route. Now its already rich past has been supplemented with the status of a walking, tourist and sports route.

At the 1960 Olympic Games, it served as a platform for the marathon competition.

Tombs of the Appian Way

In Rome, legislation prohibited the burial of the dead within the city. For this purpose, areas of major roads extending beyond Rome were used, including the Appian Way. The section from Rome to Benevento was used more often for these purposes.

Even then, land for burial had a price: the closer the site to the city, the higher its value. Accordingly, the closer the burial was to the city limits, the more respected and rich the owner of the site was.

There are quite a lot of burials, the most prestigious and large-scale of them are:

catacombs of st. Sebastian and St. Callista;
the catacombs of the respected Scipio family, where the ashes of family members are kept in stone sarcophagi;
columbarium of Pomponia Gila - a family which, judging by the rich decoration of the tomb, became rich after receiving freedom;
The columbarium of the freedmen of Libya is striking in its size; it could accommodate several thousand urns.

Some burials look like temples and even entire pyramids. Six miles from the city, separate parts of funerary buildings, monuments and churches are kept, shrouded in greenery.

There were many violent events in the history of the Appian Way. After the pacification of the Spartacus uprising, pillars were erected along the side of the road, on which more than 6 thousand prisoners who took part in the revolt suffered a terrible death.

Church of Domine Quo Vadis - Where are you going, Lord?

In addition to the tombs, the Appian Way is famous for its country villas. The palaces of the Quintilii, the philosopher Seneca, Emperor Maxentius, and Clodius Pulcher attract attention.

Church of Domine Quo Vadis (Darold Massaro / flickr.com)

The main stopping point for most excursions is the Church of Domine Quo Vadis. From Old Slavonic the name of the church means: “Where are you going, Lord?”

The reason for the emergence of such a sacred name was the legend about the Apostle Peter: the apostle escaped from captivity and met Jesus Christ on the way, asking the above question, he heard in response: “To where I will be crucified again.” These words struck the apostle and he admitted his weakness. After some time, he returned to Rome, surrendered to the authorities and accepted martyrdom.

A special treasure of this holy place is a stone where footprints are clearly visible, which, according to some sources, belong to Jesus Christ.

Speaking about the sights of the Appian Way, it is necessary to remember the ruins of medieval fortresses and fortifications, the Circus of Maxentius, the columns of Hercules and Pius IX - these and dozens of other ancient structures form the “golden” row all the way from Rome to Brindisi.

Many buildings have not survived to this day. But even now the legacy of Rome unceremoniously speaks of the former greatness and power of the ancient Ancient state.

Appian Way in Rome- the most significant and oldest paved ancient Roman road. It was built in 312 BC. e. Appius Claudius Caeus between Rome and Capua, becoming the beginning of an extensive network of roads in the Roman Empire. The Apian Way left Rome and went southeast, to the “heel of the boot” of the Italian peninsula, towards the present one. Through the Appian Way (it was later extended to Brundisium), communications with Greece, Egypt and Asia Minor were established.

At the moment, the Appian Way has literally become an open-air museum: along it there are numerous tombs and villas of the Republican and Imperial periods, catacombs of Christians and Jews, medieval towers and fortifications, often built on the ruins of Roman monuments, monuments of the Renaissance and Baroque.

Ancient Appian Way

Ancient Appian Way(via Appia Antica) , she is Reginaviarum- “Queen of Roads”, begins not far from the Scipioni Gardens, at Gate of San Sebastiano (Porta San Sebastiano,V century).

The Appian Way was built in 312 BC. e. By order of the censor Appius Claudius. It connected Rome with the south of the Apennine Peninsula, reaching Brundisium (modern Brindisi). The width of the road was about 4 m, and it was paved with basalt slabs tightly adjacent to each other. Sections of the ancient Roman pavement have been preserved to this day, and the road is partially asphalted.

A string of ancient burials stretches along the entire road. This is due to the fact that in ancient times it was prohibited to bury the dead within the city limits.

Now the first 16 km of the road and the surrounding area are an archaeological park under government protection. On weekends and holidays, traffic stops and the Appian Way turns into a pedestrian zone. This is the best time to explore the road, although these days there are many tourists, cyclists and locals having picnics along the road.

Ancient Roman roads:

A feature of any empire is its length, which requires the construction of transport arteries that allow rapid movement between different ends of the empire. Ancient Roman roads were direct paths paved with stones between the most important settlements of the empire, connecting many cities, first in Italy, and then in the territories subject to Rome.

Roads in the Roman Empire were initially built for military purposes, but later they began to play a significant role in the country's economy. Although they also simplified the conquest of Rome by the barbarians. Roman roads continued to be used for at least a millennium after the fall of the empire, and in some places to this day (though they are now mostly paved).

The first legislative norms in relation to roads were introduced already in the 5th century BC. The width of the road on a straight section should have been 2.45 m, on turns - 4.9 m. Owners of roadside areas had to fence the road, if not paved with stones, Otherwise travelers could drive. wherever they wish.

Construction of the Appian Way

In 390 BC. Rome, having almost been conquered by the Gauls, and having miraculously escaped capitulation, Rome decided to build a network of roads to speed up the movement of troops. The first paved road was built in 312 by Emperor Appius Claudius Caeus, connecting Rome with Capua. As a rule, roads were paved with stone only within cities or on the approaches to them. The exception is Via Appia, which is completely paved with stone.

Diodorus Siculus writes that Appius paved most of the road with massive stones, while spending almost the entire state treasury on construction. According to him, during the construction of the road, high places were razed, ravines and depressions were leveled with embankments.

Soon after the construction was completed, the Romans began to build monumental tombs and magnificent monuments along the road, the decoration of which became a matter of prestige. So, already 20 years after the opening of traffic along the Appian Way, representatives of the Roman family of Scipios built crypts for the burial of family members.

The Ostrogoth king Theodoric the Great ordered repairs to the road at the beginning of the 6th century, later using it to advance troops against Rome in 536.

In the Middle Ages, the trade and transport importance of the Appian Way began to decline. Pilgrims walked along Via Appia to the catacombs, the Basilica of St. Sebastian, traveling further to the port of Brundisium, and then heading to the Holy Land. Many Christian saints and martyrs were buried in the catacombs on the Appian Way, for example, Saint Sebastian, Pope Callistus. Guidebooks have been preserved (lat. Epitome de locis sanctorum, 638-642) for pilgrims, which shows the way to the shrines on the Appian Way.

Appian Way: attractions of Appia Antica Park

Tomb of Geta

Tomb of Geta (Tomba di Geta) And Priscilla's grave (Sepolcro di Priscilla) - the first monuments that we will see on the Appian Way on the way from.

Geta's tomb is located to the left of the road - it is a massive quadrangular building, tapering at the top. Its walls were once lined with white marble. The roof was added in the 16th century. Now the building is located on private territory, so it is impossible to visit it.

Priscilla's grave is located to the right of the road, almost opposite the tomb of Geta. The round tower that we see was built in the Middle Ages, and the rectangular base of the mausoleum of the wife of a rich freedman from the time of Domitian has been preserved.

Church of Domine Quo Vadis

Immediately behind Priscilla's grave there is a fork where you need to turn left. at the base of the fork there is a small single-nave church with a white facade, domine-quo-vadis(Domine Quo Vadis, “Lord, where are you going?”, XVII century).

According to legend, the Apostle Peter, who left the city due to persecution by the Roman authorities, met Jesus here walking towards him and asked: “Lord, where are you going?” Christ answered: “To Rome, so that they may crucify me a second time.” After this, the Lord disappeared, leaving footprints on the stone, and Peter returned to Rome to his destined crucifixion. Russian-speaking readers are familiar with this episode from the novel by the Polish writer Henryk Sienkiewicz “Kamo khryadeshi”.

A monument to Sienkiewicz was erected inside the church. There is also a copy of the marble slabs with footprints of Jesus (original in the catacombs of San Sebastiano). Now historians believe that the slab was a sacrifice to the pagan gods, probably with a request for help to the traveler.

Caffarella Park

The forest path going to the left of the church leads to Caffarella Park(Parco Caffarella), former possessions of the princes of Caffarella. The views opening here are reminiscent of the Rome of the era of Gogol and Bryullov.

Catacombs of St. Callista

About 1 km from the church of Domine Quo Vadis, on the right side of the road, there are catacombs of St. Callista (Catacombe di San Callisto), the largest Christian burial site in Ancient Rome.

The catacombs, about 20 km long, occupy 4 levels and have only been partially explored. Open to the public Crypt dads, where many of the first popes were buried, including St. Callistus (reigned 217-222), as well as the crypt of St. Cecilia, where the body of the saint was discovered in 820, later transferred to the church of Santa Cecilia in Trastevere. The crypts are decorated with well-preserved frescoes from the 3rd-8th centuries.

Catacombs of St. Callistus
Via Appia Antica, 110
09.00–12.00 and 14.00–17.00, January 1, February, Easter, December 25 closed

Basilica and catacombs of St. Sebastian

At the crossroads via Appia And via delle Sette Chiese(Sete Chiese street) there is a basilica San Sebastiano (Basilica di San Sebastiano fuori le mura, IV century, complete reconstruction of the 17th century). Usually the church is closed, but if you go around it and ring the doorbell, you can be let in.

Statue of St. Sebastian in the altar of the first chapel on the right was made by Bernini's student, Antonio Giorgetti, in 1670. Opposite is located Chapel of Relics(Carlo Fontana, 18th century), where you can see the original marble slab from Domine Quo Vadis, the arrow with which St. Sebastian, and the column to which he was chained.

Next to the basilica is the entrance to Catacombs of St. Sebastian(Catacombe di San Sebastiano), in which, according to legend, for some time (III century) the relics of the executed apostles Peter and Paul rested. On the second level (the only one of the four open to the public) frescoes, images of doves and fish (symbols of the Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ) and inscriptions in Latin and Greek are well preserved.

Catacombs of St. Sebastian
Via Appia Antica, 136
09.00–12.00 and 14.00–17.00, January 1, February, Easter, November 14–December 12, December 25 closed

One of the foundations of the victories of Roman weapons was the famous Roman roads, with the help of which the Romans could quickly transfer the necessary reserves to almost any region. The roads also served the Romans in peacetime.

Via Appia

The first and most important of the Roman roads was the Appian Way (Via Appia), which connected Campania. It was named after the censor Appius Claudius Caecus, who in 312 BC. initiated the construction of this road.

Initially, the Appian Way began from the Circus Maximus and connected Rome and Capua. Later it was extended to Benevento and finally, in 190, to the city of Brindisi, located in the extreme south of Italy.

Road today

Today, traveling along the Appian Way, you can see the ruins of ancient villas, tombs and Roman aqueducts. Just outside the walls of ancient Rome you can observe Roman ancient burials. The fact is that, according to the tradition of ancient Rome, the dead were supposed to be buried outside the city walls.

Attractions along the Appian Way

Today, the Appian Way begins at the Porta San Sebastiano, also called the Appian Gate. At the beginning of the 5th century, by order of Emperor Honorius, this gate was rebuilt and strengthened. Today, inside this gate is the Museum of the Walls of Rome. By the way, from this place you can walk along the section of the fortress walls to the Porta Adreatina gate.

Where Via Ardeatina begins from the Appian Way, on the left side is the Quo Vadis church, famous for the fact that it was at this place that Jesus Christ appeared to the Apostle Peter. After this meeting, Peter, ashamed of his flight, returned to Rome to accept martyrdom. The main attraction of the church is a stone with the imprints of Christ’s feet.

The next monument of the Appian Way is the catacombs of Domitilla, named after the granddaughter of Emperor Vespasian Flavia Domitilla.

These are one of the largest catacombs in Rome. They are unique in that inside them there are the first Christian churches with unique mosaics from the 4th-5th centuries.

The longest catacombs in Rome are the Catacombs of Calixtus, which got their name from Pope Calixtus I. These catacombs are one of the most visited Christian underground cemeteries in Rome.

Today, about 20 kilometers of underground passages of these catacombs have been explored, but research is still ongoing. In the ethical catacombs you can also see early Christian frescoes.

Further along the Appian Way you can see the Mausoleum of Romulus and the Circus of Maxentius. Maxentius at one time laid claim to the imperial crown in Rome and was an opponent of Constantine the Great. After his defeat at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in 312, he died in the waters of the Tiber, but before that he managed to build a circus, which in size was not very different from the circus inside the city walls.

Next you can explore the tomb of Caecilia Metella, who was the daughter-in-law of Crassus. Crassus was the richest citizen in Rome, who largely sponsored Caesar's rise to power. And the tomb of Metella served as a prototype for the tombs of Augustus and Hadrian.

The last monument that can be seen on the Appian Way is the famous Villa Quintilii. This is the largest antique country villa outside of Rome. Its construction dates back to the mid-2nd century BC. The villa included extensive gardens and even a hippodrome.

Appian Way on the map