Via Nomentana
Encyclopedia
Via Nomentana is an ancient road of Italy, leading North-East from Rome
to Nomentum (modern Mentana
), a distance of 23 km (14.3 mi). It originally bore the name Via Ficulnensis, from the old Latin village of Ficulnea, about 13 km (8.1 mi) from Rome. It was subsequently prolonged to Nomentum, but never became an important high road, and merged in the Via Salaria
a few kilometers beyond Nomentum. It is followed as far as Nomentum by the modern state road, but some traces of its pavement still exist.
Originally starting from now-destroyed Porta Collina
in the Servian Walls, in the third century emperor Aurelian
build the Porta Nomentana
in his new set of walls
. Pope Pius IV decided to move the first stretch of the road and built the Porta Pia
for this purpose.
There are the remains of at least one Roman bridge
along the road, which is the Ponte Nomentano
.
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Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
to Nomentum (modern Mentana
Mentana
Mentana is a town and comune in the province of Rome, Lazio, central Italy.-History:Mentana's name in ancient times was Nomentum, to which the Via Nomentana led from Rome. According to Livy, the town was part of the Latin League, which went to war with Rome during the reign of Rome's king Lucius...
), a distance of 23 km (14.3 mi). It originally bore the name Via Ficulnensis, from the old Latin village of Ficulnea, about 13 km (8.1 mi) from Rome. It was subsequently prolonged to Nomentum, but never became an important high road, and merged in the Via Salaria
Via Salaria
The Via Salaria was an ancient Roman road in Italy.It eventually ran from Rome to Castrum Truentinum on the Adriatic coast - a distance of 242 km. The road also passed through Reate and Asculum...
a few kilometers beyond Nomentum. It is followed as far as Nomentum by the modern state road, but some traces of its pavement still exist.
Originally starting from now-destroyed Porta Collina
Porta Collina
The Colline Gate was a landmark in ancient Rome, supposed to have been built by Servius Tullius, semi-legendary king of Rome 578–535 BC. The gate stood at the north end of the Servian Wall, and past it were two important streets, the Via Salaria and Via Nomentana. Within this area the Alta Semita...
in the Servian Walls, in the third century emperor Aurelian
Aurelian
Aurelian , was Roman Emperor from 270 to 275. During his reign, he defeated the Alamanni after a devastating war. He also defeated the Goths, Vandals, Juthungi, Sarmatians, and Carpi. Aurelian restored the Empire's eastern provinces after his conquest of the Palmyrene Empire in 273. The following...
build the Porta Nomentana
Porta Nomentana
The Porta Nomentana was one of the gates in the Aurelian Walls of Rome, Italy. It is located along viale del Policlinico, around 70 m east of Porta Pia. It is now blocked and merely a boundary wall for the British Embassy.-History:...
in his new set of walls
Aurelian Walls
The Aurelian Walls is a line of city walls built between 271 and 275 in Rome, Italy, during the reign of the Roman Emperors Aurelian and Probus....
. Pope Pius IV decided to move the first stretch of the road and built the Porta Pia
Porta Pia
Porta Pia is a gate in the Aurelian Walls of Rome, Italy. One of Pope Pius IV's civic improvements to the city, it is named after him. Situated at the end of a new street, the Via Pia, it was designed by Michelangelo in replacement for the Porta Nomentana situated several hundred meters...
for this purpose.
Roman bridges
- For an overview of the location of Roman bridges, see List of Roman bridges.
There are the remains of at least one Roman bridge
Roman bridge
Roman bridges, built by ancient Romans, were the first large and lasting bridges built. Roman bridges were built with stone and had the arch as its basic structure....
along the road, which is the Ponte Nomentano
Ponte Nomentano
The Ponte Nomentano is a Roman bridge in Rome, Italy, which carried the Via Nomentana over the Aniene...
.
See also
- Roman roadRoman roadThe Roman roads were a vital part of the development of the Roman state, from about 500 BC through the expansion during the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. Roman roads enabled the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate. The Roman road system spanned more than 400,000 km...
- Roman bridgeRoman bridgeRoman bridges, built by ancient Romans, were the first large and lasting bridges built. Roman bridges were built with stone and had the arch as its basic structure....
- Roman engineeringRoman engineeringRomans are famous for their advanced engineering accomplishments, although some of their own inventions were improvements on older ideas, concepts and inventions. Technology for bringing running water into cities was developed in the east, but transformed by the Romans into a technology...
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