Page:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography Volume II.djvu/1312

1288 VIA AEMILIA SCAURI. the foot of the Cottian Alps. This was there- fore one of the great highroads leading to Gaul. But the stations on it, as given in the Tabula, are very confused, and can only partially be restored by the assistance of the Antonine Itinerary, which no- where gives this road in its entirety. At Ticinum it was joined by another road leading from ]Iediolanum to that city. The stations, as given in the Jerusalem Itinerary (p. 556), ai-e as follows ; — Ticinum Durii {I)or7i<>') - - - . xii. M. r. Laumellum (^Loniello) - - ix. Ad Cottias {Cozzo) - - - xii. Ad Medias ------ xiii. Rigomagus {Trino Vecchio) - x. Ceste (?) ------ viii. Quadrat ae (near Z/OWtZoyZ/o) - xi. Ad Decimum ----- xii. Taurini (^Turhi) - - - - x. Ad Fines (^Ainfjliano) - - xvi. Ad Duodecimum - - - - xii. Segusio (Susa) - - - - xii. The rest of the route over the Cottian Alps is given in the article Alpes. [H H. B.] VIA AEMILIA SCAURI, is the name given, for the S'.ike of distinction, to a road which was con- structed by AemUius Scaurus long after the more celebrated Via Aemilia above described. Strabo, the only author who distinctly mentions the two, says that Aemilius Scaurus, after having drained the marshes on the S. side of the Padus, constructed the Aemilian Way through Pisae and Luna as far as Sa- bata, and thence through Dertona. (Strab. v. p. 217.) Whether " the other Aemilian Way," as Strabo calls it, had been already continued from Placentia to Dertona, or this also was first effected by Scaurus, we know not ; but it is clear that the two were thus brought into connection. The construction of this great work must tie assigned to the censorship ot M. Aemilius Scaurus, in B.C. 109, as we learn from Aurelius Victor ( 1 7n III. 72), who, however, probably confourids it with the more celebrated Via Aemilia from Placentia to Ariminum. But a comparison of the two authws leaves no doubt as to the road really meant. The name seems to have gradually fallen into disuse, probably on account of the ambiguity arising between the two Viae of the same name ; and we find both the coast-road from Pisae to Vada Sabata, and that across the mountains from the latter place by Aquae Statiellae to Dertona, included by the Itineraries as a part of the Via Aurelia, of which the former at least was in fact a mere conti- nuation. Hence it will be convenient to discuss the stations and distances along these lines, under the general bead of Via Aurelia. [E. H. B.] VIA AMERINA, is the name given in an in- scription of the time of Hadrian (Orell. T7iscr. 3306) to a line of road, which must obviously be that lead- ing direct from Rome to Am«ria. This, as we learn from the Tabula, branched off from the Via Cassia at Baccanae {Baccano), and proceeded through Ne- pete and Falerii to Ameria. The stations and dis- tances as there given are: — - Rome to Baccanae - . - - xxi. M. r. Nepete (Nepi) - - - ix. Falerii (Sta Maria di Falleri) - - - - v. Castellum Amerinum - xii. Ameria {Amelia) - - ix. The sum of these distances (56 miles) agrees precitely with the statement of Cicero, who, in the VIA APPIA. oration Pro Sexto Roscio Amerino (c. 7. § 18), ob- serves that it was 56 miles from Ameria to Rome. According to the Tabula a prolongation of tlie .same road led from Ameria to Tuder, and tiience by a circuitous route through Vettona and Perusia to Clusinm, where it rejoined the Via Cassia. The first station to Ameria is omitted : thence to Tuder (Todi), was . - - vi. m. p. Vettona {Bettona) - - - - xx. Perusia (Perugia) - - - xiv. The distance from that city to Clusium is again omitted. [E. H. B.] VIA APPIA (^ 'ATnrfa 65(5s), the greatest and most celebrated of all the Roman highways in Italy, which led from Rome direct to Brundusium, and thus became the principal line of communication with Greece, Slacedonia and the East. Hence it became, ia the flourishing times of the Roman Empire, the nwst frei]uented and important of the Roman roads, and is called by Statins " regina viarum." (Silv. ii. 2. 12.) Martial al>o calls it " Appia . . . Ausoniae maxima fama viae" (ix. 102). The former author terms it " annosa Appia," in reference to its great antiquity (/i. iv. 3. 163.) It was indeed the earliest of all the Roman highways, of the construction of which we have any definite account, and very probably the first of all that was regularly made as a great public work; the Via Salaria, Tibnrtina, &c., having doubt- less long been in use as mere natural roads, before they were converted into solidly constructed Viae. There must in like manner have always been some kind of road communicating from Rome with Alba and Aricia; but it is evident, from the perfectly straight line followed by the Via Appia from a point very little without the gates of Rome to Aricia, that this must have been a new work, laid out and executed at once. The original construction of the Via Appia was undoubtedly due to the censor Appius Claudius Caecus, who commenced it in b. c. 312, and completed it as far as Capua before the close of his censorship. (Liv. ix. 29 ; Diod. xx. 36; Frontin. de Aquaed. 5; Orell. Inscr. 539.) From Capua it was undoubtedly carried on to Beneventum, and again at a subsequent period to Brundusium ; but the date of these continuations is unknown. It is evident that the last at least could not have taken place till alter the complete subjugation of the south of Italy in B.C. 266, and probably not till after the establishment of the Roman colony at Brundusium, B.C. 244. Hence it is certainly a mistake when Aurelius Victor speaks of Appius Claudius Caecus as having carried the Appian Way to Brundusium. (Vict. Vir. 111. 34.) The continuation and com- pletion of this great work has been assigned ta various members of the Claudian family; but this is entirely without authority. Strabo distinctly speaks of the Appian Way as ex- tending, in his time, from Rome to Brundusium ; and his description of its course and condition is important. After statingthat almostall travellers from Greece and the East used to land at Brundusium, he adds: "From thence there ai-e two ways to Rome, the one adapted only for mules, through the country of the Peucetians, Daunians, and Samnites, to Beneventum, on which are the cities of Egnatia, Caelia, Canusium, and Her- donia; the other through Tarentum, deviating a little to the left, and going round about a day's journey, which is called the Appian, and is better adapted for carriages. On this are situated Uria (between Brun- dusium and Tarentum) andVenusia, on the confines of the Samnites and Lucanians. Both these roads,