It’s the weekend – and this weekend in Rome, Appia Day is being celebrated on Sunday.

Appia Day is a celebration of the Appian Way – and a reclamation by the people, too, as the day is given over to walking, cycling and enjoying the Appian Way and its antiquities.

The Appian Way originally connected the Roman Forum to Brindisi and was used as a route for transporting goods into Rome. There is still a route from the Forum to the Appian Way called the Via Sacra, which starts at the Capitoline Hill and passes through the Forum to the Colosseum and past the Circus Maximus. The Via Sacra is the main street of ancient Rome and would have been used as a processional route.

The Appian Way also has a bloody history – and was gorily immortalised by tales of the revolt led by the gladiator Spartacus, which ended with thousands of slaves being massacred in 73BC and their bodies left to line the famous road.

Appia Day is a more joyous occasion, however – read more about it at www.romatoday.it.

Featured image and Forum image courtesy of http://www.rome.info/.

ROME ALONE

Fancy visiting Rome without leaving home? Download ROME ALONE free at Amazon Kindle and set off for a long weekend in the Eternal City!  Follow housewife Bee and Dr Neil McCarthy as they each navigate the sights of Rome and try to escape heartache.

Adult content and themes – contains scenes of shopping and amore.

Buon viaggio!