Exploring The Appian Way - Ancient Rome's First Highway

When I was in high school, I studied Latin, and we translated ancient stories about Rome. Several passages talked about the "Appian Way". I can't describe how it feels to actually see the road I only imagined so many years ago. This is so cool !! Thank you

I usually listen to YouTube videos as I work and try to glance from time to time. Considering how detailed your narration is here, I’m definitely going to watch it on the big screen. Very cool details that I’ve never seen or heard of. Very glad you took the time to present this to the public 👌🏼.

Hi from Italy! Good job with your video, I loved it. The goats and sheeps are a recent re-introduction in various italian cities as they do an excellent work with the grass on the side of the streets while their bellies get full, so it's a win-win situation.

I’m a cyclist and I love seeing things up close and at slow speed. My Latin book in high school was called The Appian Way. It had photos of landmarks, statues, tombs etc. in Rome and Italy. I know you had a wonderful time cycling 🚴‍♂️ through the countryside. 👍☮️🌞🇮🇹

Neat video - having lived in West Berlin back in the 80's always find it amazing what Europeans - especially Southern Europeans - Greeks and Italians consider OLD - while those of us here in the US - Here in San Tan Valley AZ while driving down Hunt Highway, this ancient structure was constructed in 2015 - it is an amazing 8 years old, remarkably it is still standing :)

What a wonderful share Steve! Thank you so very much for including The Sidetrack Posse along with You All! I'm quite sure I'll never see this awesome country in person but you managed to give us all the next best thing. I've always been amazed at the size and quality of structures from so long ago that were built without the modern advances of today and they last longer than what is built now days! Great shot of St. Peter's Basilica's Dome @ 6:40! So much History, so much Brilliant Scenery! On a side note, I'm a Fan of "The Shark Tank" and one of The Sharks, Kevin O'Leary LOVES to say "All Roads Lead Back To Mr. Wonderful"...so your opening had me laughing!🤣 Cheers From COW-lumbus, Ohio MOO To ALL who Ride Along with Sidetrack Adventures

It's pretty amazing that a guy from America is telling me the history of the Roman Empire! But you have actually reproduced the more than two thousand year history of this city very vividly and captured it with really great pictures! Your report can only be praised highly! By the way: Rome was once the vibrant center of one of the largest empires that has ever existed. It stretched from Scotland's far north to North Africa and from Portugal's Atlantic coast in the west to far into the Middle East, where Iran and Iraq now lie. Whenever the Romans conquered a region, the first thing they did was to build roads in order to get their troops to the border areas as quickly as possible and to secure supplies. That's why back then all roads led to Rome... to the heart of this mighty empire! In addition, the Romans were absolutely brilliant builders, whose roads and fortifications have survived to this day. Many long-distance connections in Europe still take place on the original routes that were once laid out thanks to the Roman armies. These buildings are masterpieces that were made to last, which cannot necessarily be said about many buildings of our time. By the way, Rome is often referred to as the “eternal city!”

While you're in Europe, you might think about Britain's many surviving Roman roads. This is a good one, thanks.

Absolutely great video. My wife and I always enjoy your shows, but this episode is really special. We've watched many travel shows that have gone to Rome, but unlike them, you didn't go to the same old places. Such a great idea. Keep up the good work. Thanks.

Thanks for bringing us along, Steve! Can’t wait to see what you have to share with us

Fascinating ancient history, great video Steve. Much of the Roman road network here in the UK fell into disrepair after the occupation of Britannia ended and the Romans departed although the routes were still used by later travellers. Along some of our modern roads you can still find long straight stretches of highway where the old Roman system acts as a foundation. I often travel the A12 trunk road between London (Roman Londinium) and Colchester (Roman Camulodunum) which has several fairly lengthy straight runs along the route.

I used to live in Wiesbaden, Germany. The street I lived on had a Roman milestone right in the middle. Amazing to see how much of the old Empire still exists.

Ah Italy I’m jealous. Huge thumbs up. Great episode. I too love ancient history and to imagine these ancient builders with just their tools of the time building these impressive structures, sometimes you just got to say how?

Excellent video! Love the photography and the ruins. I’m glad you were able to get out of the typical tourist stuff and make this video of the usually unseen attractions!

Amazing to see! Thank you for allowing us to vicariously join you on another adventure.

Great video! Too bad the weather wasn’t nicer. To anyone watching; if you’re lucky enough to walk or bike the Appian Way, I recommend skipping the beginning section between the Arch of Drusus and the tomb of Cecelia Metella (or do it by car). Most of that part is a narrow canyon with traffic zooming by and skinny sidewalks/shoulders, and there’s not a lot to see anyway. We walked it and it was nerve wracking and noisy! But once you get close to Cecelia Metella there’s much less traffic and it widens out. That’s also a good area to get a snack or rent a bike. Head south from there and there’s only walkers, bikes, and the occasional horseback rider, and that’s where you start passing the beautiful views and all the ruins. The via crosses a few regular roads which are good places to catch an Uber when you’re done (if you’re on foot and don’t have to return a bike). There are so many amazing places in Rome that most tourists never visit. The Appian Way is a bit out of the way, but other museums in or close to the center of town worth a visit are: Palazzo Massimo, Villa Farnesina, the Etruscan Museum and Palazzo Altemps. Another one that’s further out but really cool is Centrale Montemartini, it’s in an old power station, and the combination of ancient statues with 1920s giant dynamos is very striking and unexpected. None of these places have ever been crowded the several times I’ve visited.

You had me puzzled there for a bit, wondering how there was an Appian Way in the U.S. Southwest! 😆 Great tour filled with respectfully presented historical details - thank you, and a really nice selection of background music to enhance it all. Superbly done video!

Wow, Steve, I am impressed how detailed you guide this part of Roman history. I was on Via Appia Antica in Ostia, the former harbor of Roma, in 1974 and saw only a few hundred meters of the Via Appia. I grew up along the Neckar River in Germany, if you ever consider travelling the Burgenstrasse in Germany, let me know, I can give you some hints and tips of the area, where Kaiser Barbarossa built houses more than 1000 years ago, which are still there today. My name is Georg.

I did a similar bike trip along the Via Appia Antica a few years ago. If you wanted to go and see the Aqueduct Park, you would have had to turn left (northeast) off the Via Appia Antica and cross the new Via Appia highway to get to the aqueducts. Around 15:20 into your video, you present the tomb of the Orazi and Curiazi, the champions of Rome and their rival city Alba Longa, and if you had turned left at the crossroads next to it, you would have been on your way to the aqueducts. Along the way, you would also have found some of the farms where the sheep you encountered would be grazing, places where the beggar kids you may have seen in the city center seem to hang out, and on the other side of the highway, an upper middle class suburb and a rugby, tennis, and golf club. Some of the aqueducts are still carrying cool water from the mountains to Rome, although a notice tells you not to drink it.

I've been to the Eternal City of Roma multiple times (including just last month), but I never had a chance to visit many of the sites you showed. Thank you for this wonderful video. Subscribed!