Page:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography Volume II.djvu/1318

 1294 VIA APPIA. straight line to Barium (Bart). The remainder of its course presents no difficulties, and the stations are, for the most part, well-known towns. Tiie whole line is thus given in the Antonine Itinerary (pp. 1 12, 116):— From Beneventum to Equus Tuticus (5. Eleitterio) - xsi.M. p. Aeeae {Troja) - xviii.* Herdonia {Ordond) - sviii. Canusium (Ca?JOSrt) - -. . - xxvi. Bubi (Ruvo) xxiii. Butuntum (Bltonto) - - -. xi. Barium (Bari) - si. Turres (?) xxi. Egnatia (Toj-re cZi Graaz/a)- - - svi. Speluncae (?) xx. Brundusium (Brindisi) - - - - xviii. The two stations of Turres between Barium and Egnatia, and Speluncae between Egnatia aud Brun- dusium, cannot be identified; it is evident from the names themselves that they were not towns, but merely small places on the coast so called. The Jerusalem Itinerary has two stations, Turres Aure- lianae, and Turres Juliae, between Egnatia and Barium, but, from the distances given, neither of these can be identified with the Turres of the Anto- nine Itinerary. The other intermediate stations mentioned by the same authority are unimportant Mu- tationes, which can be identified only by a careful survey on the spot. The Tabula gives (though in a very confused manner) an intermediate line of route, which appears to have been the same as that indicated by Strabo (v. p. 283), which quitted the coast at Egnatia, and proceeded through Caelia to Brundusium. The stations given are : — Canusium to Eudiae - - - xii. M.r. Eubi - - - - xiv. Butuntum - - ix. Caelia (Ceglie) - ix. Ebetium(Azetium?) — Noi"ve (?) - - - ix. Ad Veneris (?) - viii. Egnatia - - - viii. It is certain that tiie Via Trajana was continued, probably by Trajan himself, from Brundusium to Hydruntum (Olranto), and was thence carried ill! round the Calabrian peninsula to Tarentum. The road from Brundusium to Hydruntum passed through Lupiae {Lecce), in the interior of the penin- sula, which is correctly placed 25 miles from eacii of the above cities. (Itin. Ant. p. 118.) The stations on the other line, which is given only in the Tabula, are as follow : — M. p. Hydruntum to Castrum Jlinervae ( Castro) viii. Veretum {Sta Maria di Vereto) - xii. Uxentum (Ugento) - - x. Baletium (Aletium) - - x. Neretum {Nardo) - - x. JIanduria (Mandiiria) - xxix. Tarentum {Taranto) - xx. The above distances appear to be correct. Lastly, a branch struck oif from the Via Trajana at Barium which proceeded direct to Tarentum. It is probable that this came to be adopted as the most convenient mode of reaching the latter city when direct distance is not more than 8 miles. VIA APITA. the original Via Appia had fallen into disuse. The distance is correctly given as 60 miles. (Itin. Ant. p. 119.) Besides the above, which may be considered as all in some degree branches of the Via Trnjana, there was another line, probably constructed at a late period, which struck across from Equus Tuticus to Venusia, so as to form a cross communication be- tween the Via Trajana and the old Via Appia. This is set down in the Antonine Itinerary (p. 103) as part of a long line proceeding from the N. of Italy to the S. ; but the intermediate stations between Equus Tuticus and Venusia cannot be determined. 5. From Capua by Nuceria to Rhegium. Tliis line of road is indicated by Strabo in the passage above cited (v. p. 283) as existing in his time, but he certainly did not include it under the name of the Via Appia. It seems, however, to have subsequently come to be regarded as such, as the Antonine Itinerary puts it under the heading, " Ab Urbe Appia via recto itinere ad Columnam" (Itln. Ant. p. 106.)*, and inasmuch as it was a continu- ation of the original Appian Way, it was, strictly speaking, as much entitled to bear the name as the Via Trajana. Strabo does not tell us whether it w-as passable in his day for carriages or not, and we have no account in any ancient author of its construction. But we learn the period at which it was first opened from a remarkable inscription discovered at La Polla, in the valley of Diuno, which commemorates the construction of the road from Rhegium to Capua, and adds the distances of the principal towns along its course : unfortunately the first line, containing the name of the magistrate by whom it was opened, is wanting; and the name of M. Aquilius Callus, in- serted by Gruter and others, is a mere conjecture. There is little doubt that the true restoration is tiie name of P. Popilius Laenas, who was praetor in b. c. 134, and who, after clearing the mountains of Lucania and Bruttium of the fugitive slaves who had taken refuge in them, appears to have first constructed this highroad through that rugged and mountainous country. (Mommsen, Inscr. R. N. 6276; Ritschl. Mon. Epigr. pp. 11, 12.) There is, therefore, no foundation whatever for the name of Via Aquilia, which has been given by some modern writers (Ro- nianelli, Cramer, &c.) to this line of road: it was probably at first called Via Popii.ia, after its author, who, as was usual in similar cases, founded at the same time a town which bore the name of Forum Popilii, and occupied the site of La Polla [FoRUiM PoPiLii] ; but no mention of this name is found in any ancient author, and it seems to have been unknown to Strabo. The distances given in the inscription above mentioned (which are of the greatest value, from their undoubted authenticity), are: — ■ M. P. From Capua to Nuceria -. - xxxiii. [Forum Popilii] - - li. ^luranum. - - Ixsiv. Consent ia - - - xlix. Valentia - - - Ivii. Ad Statuam - - li. Eliegium - - - vi. The point designated as "Ad Fretum ad Statuam" is evidently the same as the Columna of the Itine- laries, which marked the spot from which it was only to the first part of tliis route, which certainly followed the true Appian Way as far as Capua.
 * This distance must be above the truth; the
 * The words "Appia via" may, however, refer