012 via appia antica

On Sunday afternoon, I walked on the old Appian Way, called ''Queen of Roads", which a long time ago was the main thoroughfare going south from the city. On Sunday it's closed to most automobile traffic so it's a really pleasant walk. Although I wasn't exhausted per the N.M. Death March standards, I was still really tired after my 10 mile round trip hike.

I really enjoyed the walk in the mild weather, especially seeing the slick black obsidian stones furrowed into grooves after centuries of chariots, wagons and cars deformed the stone. The dark green cypress trees grew on both sides of the road, and countless disintegrating tombs and monuments littered both sides. It was also nice to get out of the city for a bit and smell fresh air and plants and flowers.

The rationale behind the tombs in this location was that it was illegal to have human remains in ancient Rome. The richest people, of course, had the nicest tombs, and one in particular (Cecilia Metalla) has the nicest one in town. Early Christians believed that cremation and resurrection didn't go together, although Roman law/tradition at the time was that all people were to be cremated. So the early Christians built catacombs under ground to escape inspection. Although the catacombs are quite extensive in the area, I decided to postpone that trip for another day.

Dinner was pasta con fagioli, very hearty after my long walk!