Via Flamina

Via Flamina, a road leading out of the city of Ancient Rome, was second only to Via Appia, "'queen of the roads' to the Romans", [Ashby, T. and Fell, R.A.L. "The Via Flaminia." "The Journal of Roman Studies". 11 (1921): 125-190. http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0075-4358%281921%2911%3C125%3ATVF%3E2.0.CO%3B2-9] and during certain periods succeeded it as the most important Roman road.

Constructed as any other Roman road, with a foundation of large stones, topped with smaller stones and gravel, and held together with cement, [Speake, Graham. "A Dictionary of ancient history". Oxford, OX, UK: Blackwell Reference, 1994.] the 209-mile route built by Gaius Flaminius was utilized for trade and military conquests in ancient Rome and presently continues to be traversed by tourists and travelers. [Speake, Graham. "A Dictionary of ancient history". Oxford, OX, UK: Blackwell Reference, 1994.]

Route

Via Flamina starts in Rome from the Servian wall, goes to Terni and through Spoleto, from where it goes in a straight path to Protte, crosses the Tiber river and extends northward only to go east towards the coast. It reaches the coast at Fanum Fortunae and travels up the coast through Pesaro to end in Rimini. This magnificent northeastern route from Rome ends at an arch in Rimini, which was financed by the Senate and details the reparations made to this particular route, primarily by Augustus, [Thompson, Logan. “Roman Roads.” "History Today, Ltd". 47.2 (1997): 21-28.] during an initiative to restore the major roads of Rome in 27 B.C. [Ashby, T. and Fell, R.A.L. "The Via Flaminia." "The Journal of Roman Studies". 11 (1921): 125-190. http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0075-4358%281921%2911%3C125%3ATVF%3E2.0.CO%3B2-9]

History

Via Flamina served as a primary trade route from Rome to northern Italy, crossing through Umbria and terminating in Rimini after following the northeastern coast from slightly south of Pesaro. Gaius Flaminius, consul in 223 B.C., supported a policy of expansion that made possible the construction of the Via Flamina when he was a censor in 220 B.C. [Speake, Graham. "A Dictionary of ancient history". Oxford, OX, UK: Blackwell Reference, 1994.] This route served as a fast way for Romans to access the northern coast of Italy, providing also communication with Rimini, which aided Rome militaristically, both for defense and further conquests by providing solid routes for marching legions of the Roman army .

Repairs

As it began to wear down, Augustus took it upon himself, during his campaign to improve all roads leading to Rome, to restore it, adding an arch with his image at the starting point in Rome and at the end in Rimini. [Ashby, T. and Fell, R.A.L. "The Via Flaminia." "The Journal of Roman Studies". 11 (1921): 125-190. http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0075-4358%281921%2911%3C125%3ATVF%3E2.0.CO%3B2-9] While repairs for most roads in Rome were done by the soldiers of the Roman army, who received a salary, certain projects were financed by individuals, such as Augustus’ personal expenditure to mend Via Flamina. [Thompson, Logan. “Roman Roads.” "History Today, Ltd". 47.2 (1997): 21-28.]

One of the more notable repairs made to the Via Flamina includes a 126-foot tunnel constructed by Vespasian in the Furlo pass, "a natural cleft nearly a mile long between the two halves of a single mountain which reaches a height of 3,259 feet on the right-hand side and 2,960 feet on the left." [Ashby, T. and Fell, R.A.L. "The Via Flaminia." "The Journal of Roman Studies". 11 (1921): 125-190. http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0075-4358%281921%2911%3C125%3ATVF%3E2.0.CO%3B2-9] Other emperors, in addition to Augustus and Vespasian, have also contributed to the restoration of Via Flamina, including Trajan and Hadrian.

Military Uses

In addition to a trade route, Via Flamina served as the major military pathway for a number of conquests. [Jones, Peter. “Ancient and Modern.” "The Spectator". February 16, 2002: 21.] Julius Caesar and Pompey led legions along Via Flamina during a campaign in 49 B.C. and Vespasian in 69 A.D. led his army against the Flavians along the route. Another major military campaign in 312 A.D. saw Constantine's army driving back Maxentius' troops to the Mulvian Bridge, one of the sites of the arch with Augustus' effigy on Via Flamina opposite the other in Rimini. [Ashby, T. and Fell, R.A.L. "The Via Flaminia." "The Journal of Roman Studies". 11 (1921): 125-190. http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0075-4358%281921%2911%3C125%3ATVF%3E2.0.CO%3B2-9] Throughout the Middle Ages, the road continued to be of military importance, and even today the road and certain bridges are still used by tourists and travelers.

Footnotes