The Queen of Roads

Walking Tours of Rome​

Via Appia

---

It is said that all roads lead to Rome and the most famous of them all must be the Via Appia, which was built in 312 BCE by the censor, Appius Claudius Caecus, to link Rome to Capua, a city 120 miles to the south. In time the Via Appia ran all the way to Brindisi, a port on the south-east coast of Italy.

Over time the Romans built a huge network of roads, but the via Appia would always be known as regina longarum viarum (queen of the long roads) or more simply as regina viarum.

The Via Appia would have been lined for miles and miles with tombs, big and small.

In 71 BCE the Via Appia was the setting for a very gruesome event: the crucifixion of 6,000 slaves who had fought under the ex-gladiator, Spartacus (c. 111-71 BCE).