Roman roads. A short but significant stretch of the ancient Appian Way has been discovered in Puglia. The location is that of the Santa Venere bridge, in Rocchetta Sant’Antonio, province of Foggia, on the banks of the Ofanto River. The idea developed by the relevant superintendence, led by Anita Guarnieri, and the University of Foggia was to investigate whether there could be archaeological traces of the section of the Appian Way that, from Benevento, passing through Basilicata, then entered Puglia. This is an area that is mentioned in sources as Pons Aufidi.
The UNESCO Candidacy for the Ancient Appian Way
This project is related to the Ministry of Culture’s programs for the UNESCO candidacy of the Ancient Appian Way, a path that many territories are aiming to promote.
The main phases, under the direction of Professors Danilo Leone and Maria Luisa Marchi, were three: field survey, aerial photos by Valentino Romano and Giovanni Forte, and geophysical surveys by Laura Cerri.
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With the opening of two excavation trenches, here’s what was found, as seen on the map above. The first road seemed very close to the Ofanto River, perhaps too close, as it was found with less distinct features and traces of silt. In short, it was subject to the river’s flooding. The choice was evidently necessary, to shift the route and open a second road layout in a safer position, as clearly indicated by the red line higher up.
In addition, as evident from the geophysical surveys, there is a built complex that probably belonged to those stationes or mutaziones: these were places where people stopped for breaks and refreshment, but which has not yet been archaeologically investigated in the first excavation campaign.
The artifacts from the Ancient Appian Way excavation, evidence of a long history
The excavated sections, two of about six meters in length, less than a meter from the cultivated surface, show a glareata road, beaten earth, clay, and limestone flakes. Therefore, we are not talking of the famous basalt blocks, as seen in other roads or in the Ancient Appian Way in Rome itself. Infact, not everything along the route had the appearance of the road from a Roman history manual, and in fact, in more rural areas and away from urban centers, it was often “glareata.”
Many artifacts were found, dating from the 3rd century BCE to late antiquity, indicating the long life of the road and, above all, the existence of structures. The archaeological evidence is apparent: imported ceramics, numerous lamps (usually a sign of well-frequented if not inhabited areas), and many coins, especially from Claudius, Tiberius, and Titus. This archaeological discovery is part of an important study of landscape archaeology, based on sources and fieldwork, but could yield more interesting data with new possible investigative campaigns and some additional excavation trenches. Here is a complete playlist on other works related to the Ancient Appian Way.
Moreover, this discovery comes at a particularly rich moment of excavations and significant restorations of classical archaeology in Italy.
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