Baths of Caracalla and the Ancient Appian Way

To reach the ancient Appian Way and the Catacombs we will pass the imposing remains of the Baths of Caracalla. These were the second largest public baths of Imperial Rome, next to those built one hundred years later by Diocletian. They were built by Emperor Caracalla in 206 A.D. In Rome there were eleven of these enormous structures.

The Thermae (baths) were a kind of huge club houses, used mainly for bathing, where the Romans used to entertain. These baths were the most richly decorated; a lot of works of art were recovered from their remains, sculptures and mosaics, which can be seen in the museums of Rome and Naples. In the summer we have there the open air opera at night. If you happen to be in Rome in July or August you should not miss seeing Aida there.

As soon as you pass these ruins you enter the ancient Appian Way, the first military road built by the Romans. It was built to connect Rome with the southern part of Italy, especially with Capua, north of Naples, which was the second most important Italian city in the 4th century B.C. It was then completed as far as Brindisi (Brundisium) on the Adriatic coast and also became the shortest route to the Near East. Brindisi was the sea port from which the Romans sailed to Greece, Turkey, etc. The road was started in 312 B.C. by Consul Appius Claudius. These were the first miles of the huge network of highways the Romans left over the Empire, in total some 60 thousand miles of road. (After the fall of Rome no new roads were built in Europe for about 15 centuries), 85 Roman bridges are still in use. During the days of the Empire, the first ten miles of the Appian Way were lined with the monumental graves of patrician Roman families. These ten miles formed quite a monumental approach to the capital of the Empire. The Romans were not allowed to bury their dead in the city; they built their tombs along the roads and most of them were on the Via Appia. After we have passed the tomb of the Scipio family (the family of warriors, Scipio the Aemilianus, Scipio the Africanus, etc.) we see the arch of Drusus, another warrior, better known as Germanicus because of his victories on the Rhine. He was the younger brot her of Tiberius, married to Mark Antotjy's daughter Antonia, and was the father of Claudius, whom Agrippina poisoned to get the throne for her son Nero. Next comes the turreted gate of S. Sebastian, the largest and best preserved of the gates in the Aurelian Wall.

Down further on the left is the small famous Chapel of Domine Quo Vadis, built over the site where, according to tradition, St. Peter, fleeing from death during Nero's persecution, had the vision of Christ and uttered the famous three words (Lord, where goest Thou) and The Lord replied he was on his way to Rome to be crucified again because Peter had abandoned the Christians in a moment of danger. Peter went back to Rome and was crucified. The chapel was rebuilt in the XVII century by the Barberini family. Two more minutes drive and you are at the Catacombs.

Rome History| Culture| Map| Travel Tips| Arriving| Hotels Restaurants| Attractions Borghese The Pincio The Spanish Steps| Campo Marzio and Pizza Navona| The Pantheon| St.Peter's Square| St Peter's Basilica| Vatican Museums| Courtyard of Belvedere| The Stanzas The Sistine Chapel The Ceiling| The Final Judgement| The Library| The Quirinal| Trevi Fountain| Piazza Venezia The Capitol The Forum| The Colosseum| San Paolo fuori le Mura| Santa Maria Maggiore| S-Pietro in Vincoli Scala Santa and San Giovanni in Laterano| Baths of Caracalla and the Ancient Appian Way| The Catacombs| Hadrian's Villa| Villa d'Este|