Appian Way

At a glance

Appian Way facts that matter

Names, makers, dates, and context before the story opens up.

Italian name	Via Appia Antica
What it is	Archaeological site
Where	Rome, Lazio
Known for	Queen of Roads, original basalt paving, catacombs and mausoleums, umbrella pines
UNESCO	World Heritage setting

The story

What you're looking at

The Appian Way began under the authority of the censor Appius Claudius Caecus from 312 BCE, initially linking Rome with Capua. As Roman expansion continued, its route extended toward Beneventum, Tarentum and Brundisium; the Via Traiana was inaugurated in 109 CE as an Adriatic-coast extension between Beneventum and Brundisium. Via Appia. Regina Viarum is a serial UNESCO World Heritage property, so any visit must be planned section by section rather than treated as one continuous accessible route.

Verified details

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Via Appia. Regina Viarum is a serial UNESCO World Heritage property, inscribed in 2024 under criteria (iii), (iv) and (vi).¹

Built under the authority of the censor Appius Claudius Caecus from 312 BCE, the Via Appia initially connected Rome with Capua by a direct military route.¹

The road was extended toward Beneventum, Tarentum and Brundisium as Roman expansion continued. In 109 CE, the Via Traiana opened as an Adriatic-coast extension between Beneventum and Brundisium.¹

Sources and citations (1)