- Via Labicana
The Via Labicana was an ancient road of
Italy , leading east southeast fromRome . It seems possible that the road at first led toTusculum , that it was then extended toLabici , and later still became a road for through traffic; it may even have superseded theVia Latina as a route to the southeast, for, while the distance from Rome to their main junction at Ad Bivium (or to another junction atCompitum Anagninum ) is practically identical, the summit level of the former is 22 m lower than that of the latter, a little to the west of the pass ofMons Algidus . After their junction it is probable that the road bore the name Via Latina rather than Via Labicana. The course of the road after the first six miles from Rome is not identical with that of any modern road, but can be clearly traced by remains of pavement and buildings along its course.Via Labicana entered Rome through the ancient monumental gate of
Porta Prenestina , and reached, after an internal part, theServian Wall , entering through the Porta Esquilina, decorated with the arch ofGallienus . The section of the road near Rome is now known as the Via Casilina. A statue of Augustus aspontifex maximus found at a villa ofLivia on this road is known as the "Via Labicana type" and is housed at the National Roman Museum. The Roman EmperorDidius Julianus was buried by the fifth milestone on the Via Labicana, after being executed in193 .Roman bridges
:"For an overview of the location of Roman bridges, see
List of Roman bridges ".There are the remains of at least one
Roman bridge along the road, which crosses the Fosso del Giardinetto 11 km east of Rome.References
* T. Ashby in "Papers of the British Schoól at Rome", i.215 sq.
*See also
*
Roman road
*Roman bridge
*Roman engineering
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
