What is the significance of the appian way

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By using our site you accept that use. Made up of huge, flat stones and guarded by towering pines, the Appian Way is one of the most spectacular attractions in and around Rome and there are plenty of interesting sights to see along the way. The Mausoleum of Cecilia Metella is the most impressive and well-preserved historic tomb in the Appian Way. Other iconic tombs include the tomb of Marcus Servilius , the tomb of Romulus son of Emperor Maxentius , the tomb of Seneca a Roman philosopher and the tomb of the family of Sextus Pompeius Justus.

Besides tombs, the Via Appia is lined by numerous monuments that are surviving testament to glorious ancient times. The church of Quo Vadis and San Nicola are of historic and religious significance; the legend says that it was at the site of the Quo Vadis church where soon-to-be-Saint Peter received a vision of Christ blocking his path. While tombs and monuments of ancient aristocratic families adorn the great Roman highway, km-long tunnels — commonly known as catacombs — run underneath the Appian Way.

It was here that the medieval Christians preferred burying their dead. Each one of them is a holy relic, hence a must-visit. Want an expert guided tour covering the most terrific ancient sites of the Eternal City, including the Via Appia Antica?

While pagans didn't enjoy the promise of salvation, those who could afford it purchased a kind of immortality by building themselves big and glitzy memorials. One of the best preserved is the Tomb of Cecilia Metella, built for the daughter-in-law of Rome's richest man. It's a massive cylindrical tomb situated on the crest of a hill. While it dates from the first century BC, we still remember her today But of course, early Christians didn't have that kind of money.

So they buried their dead in mass underground necropoli — catacombs — dug under the property of the few fellow Christians who owned land. These catacombs are scattered all around Rome just outside its ancient walls, including two inside this park. The tomb-lined tunnels of the catacombs stretch for miles and are many layers deep. Many of the first Christians buried here were later recognized as martyrs and saints.

Others carved out niches nearby to bury their loved ones close to these early Christian heroes. While the bones are long gone, symbolic carvings decorate the walls: the fish stood for Jesus, the anchor was a camouflaged cross, and the phoenix with a halo symbolized the resurrection.

By the Middle Ages, these catacombs were abandoned and forgotten. Centuries later they were rediscovered.