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Appia Antica (Antica Via)

Via Appia Antica. Radosław Botev. Courtesy of Wikipedia.com.

The Appian Way was built in stages, but was begun in the third century B.C. Known as the Queen of Roads, it was the southward road leading from the porta Appia in Rome to Brundisium on the Adriatic coast. [See Map of Italy where Rome is located at Cb and Brundisium at Eb.]

In the 18th century a new road, "via Appia nuova," was built along part of the Appian Way. The old road was then named "via Appia antica."

Here is a photo of a stretch along the old (antica) Appian Way.

When the Romans finally suppressed the slave revolt led by Spartacus, 6000 crucifixes were raised along the Appian Way all the way to Capua from Rome. Crucifixion was a death penalty that was not suitable for Roman citizens. A Roman citizen who met his death along the Appian Way was Clodius Pulcher, a descendant of the 312 B.C. censor, Appius Claudius Caecus, whose name was given to the Appian Way. Clodius Pulcher died in 52 B.C. in a fight between his gang and that of his rival, Milo.