Heinblog: Appian Way

"The Appian Way is the queen of the long roads." One can still hike along Rome's oldest military road, first used in the Samnite Wars in 312 B.C. It is littered ancient Christian and Roman ruins, many still waiting to be unearthed.

Via Appia Antica is 11 miles long, and Sarah and I hiked the whole thing. We started at the Circo Massimo subway station, about a mile away from the "official" start of the road, so we could see some other ruins along the way.

The Baths of Caracalla were built in the 3rd century A.D. and were the second largest public baths in Rome (the Baths of Diocletian were the largest).

There are many churches that used to be Roman Temples. This church still has an inscription about Julius Caesar on it.

The Tomb of the Scipios is an early sight on the Appian Way. The Scipios were one of the most important families of the Republic, and it produced some of Rome's greatest generals, notably Scipio Africanus, who defeated Hannibal in the Punic Wars. To get in, you need to pay the entry fee at the Wall Museum next to the San Sebastian Gate, and a volunteer will let you in (there are too many historic ruins in Rome and too few people to look after them, so many sites, like this one, are normally closed).

The tomb was discovered in the 18th century, and was promptly looted by the pope; many of its artifacts now reside in the Vatican Museum. No one knew it was there since, in Roman times, the dead had to be buried outside the city walls, and the tomb was located within the Aurelian Walls. The tomb, however, was built beyond the Servian Wall before Rome expanded and the Aurelian Walls were built. In back you can see the tomb of Lucius Cornelius Scipio Barbatus, the general that defeated the Etruscans.

Old Latin writing looks a lot like my printed handwriting.

During Medieval times, a large calcinara, or marble kiln, was placed on top/in the tomb.

The tomb grounds also houses an ancient Roman columbarium, where cinerary urns were kept.

Next is the eponymous Arch of Drusus, which has nothing to do with Drusus, and is more likely the Arch of Trajan.

Behind the arch is the San Sebastian Gate, part of the Aurelian Walls built in the 3rd century A.D., and the "official" beginning of the Appian Way.

A giant statue of a child saint? In other religious news, the Church of Santa Maria in Palmis is another early sight. Supposedly the church is located on the spot where St. Peter, fleeing Rome to escape Emperor Nero's persecution, had a vision of Jesus, who persuaded Peter that he had to return to the city and accept his own martyrdom.

The Catacombs of St. Callixtus were the first Roman Christian catacombs. Nine of the first popes were buried here, along with some saints. The catacombs stretch on for 15 miles underground, and house over 500,000 graves.

The Mausoleum of Cecilia Metella, a rich noblewoman, is located a little over a third down the Appian Way. There are some nice restaurants located around this area, and it's your last chance to buy food for many miles.