 Map of Roman roads; Via Aurelia is in dark blue. | |
| Location | Rome toLuni, Italy |
|---|---|
| Type | Roman road |
| History | |
| Builder | Gaius Aurelius Cotta |
| Periods | 241 BC |
TheVia Aurelia (lit. 'Aurelian Way') is aRoman road in Italy constructed in approximately 241 BC. The project was undertaken byGaius Aurelius Cotta, who at that time wascensor.[1] Cotta had a history of building roads for Rome, as he had overseen the construction of a military road in Sicily (as consul in 252 BC, during theFirst Punic War) connectingAgrigentum (modernAgrigento) andPanormus (modernPalermo).[2]
In the middle Republic, a series of roads were built throughout Italy to serve the needs of Roman expansion, including swift army movements and reasonably quick communication with Roman colonies spread throughout Italy. There also was the unintended (but beneficial) consequence of an increase in trade among Italian cities and with Rome. The roads were standardized to 15 feet (4.6 m) wide allowing two chariots to pass, and distance was marked withmilestones.[3]
The Via Aurelia was constructed as a part of this road construction campaign, which began in 312 BC with the building of theVia Appia. Other roads included in this construction period were theViae Amerina (c. 231 BC),Flaminina,Clodia,Aemilia,Cassia,Valeria (c. 307 BC), andCaecilia (c. 283 BC).[4]
The Via Aurelia crossed theTiber by way of the bridgePons Aemilius, then exited Rome from its western side. After the EmperorAurelian built a wall around Rome (c. 270–273 CE), the Via Aurelia exited from the Porta Aurelia (gates). The road then ran about 25 miles (40 km) toAlsium on the Tyrrhenian coast, north along the coast toVada Volaterrana,Cosa, andPisae (modern-dayPisa). There the original length of the Via Aurelia terminated.[5]
This was an especially important route during the early and middle Republic because it linked Rome,Cosa, andPisae.Cosa was an important colony and military outpost inEtruria, andPisae was the only port betweenGenua and Rome. Consequently, it was an important naval base for the Romans in their wars against theLigurians,Gauls andCarthaginians.[6]
The Via Aurelia later was extended by roughly 320 km (200 mi) in 109 BC by theVia Aemilia Scauri, constructed byM. Aemilius Scaurus. This road led toDertona (modernTortona),Placentia,Cremona,Aquilea, andGenua, from which travellers could proceed toGallia Narbonensis (southern France) by way of theVia Postumia.[1]
This followed some rebuilding of the road by the same person during his consulship in 119 BC.[7]
By the time of the high Empire, travellers could go from Rome by way of the Via Aurelia across the Alps on theVia Julia Augusta to either northern France orGades (modernCadiz, Spain).[8]
The modernStrada Statale 1 Aurelia occupies the same route, and colloquially is still referred to asLa Via Aurelia.
There are the remains of severalRoman bridges along the road, including the Cloaca di Porta San Clementino, Ponte del Diavolo, Primo Ponte, and the Secondo Ponte (the last three in Sta Marinella).[citation needed]
