The Roman poet Statius called the Via Appia ''the
Queen of Roads,'' and for nearly a thousand years that
description held true, as countless travelers trod its
path from the center of Rome to the heel of Italy.
Today, the road is all but gone, destroyed by time,
neglect, and the incursions of modernity; to travel the
Appian Way today is to be a seeker, to walk in the
footsteps of ghosts. Our guide to those ghosts - and the
layers of history they represent - is Robert A. Kaster.
In ''The Appian Way'', he brings a lifetime of studying
Roman literature and history to his adventures along the
ancient highway. A footsore Roman soldier pushing the
imperial power south; craftsmen and farmers bringing
their goods to the towns that lined the road; pious
pilgrims headed to Jerusalem, using stage-by-stage
directions we can still follow - all come to life once
more as Kaster walks (and drives - and suffers car
trouble) on what's left of the Appian Way.Other voices
help him tell the story: Cicero, Goethe, Hawthorne,
Dickens, James, and even Monty Python offer commentary,
insight, and curmudgeonly grumbles, their voices
blending like the ages of the road to create a
telescopic, perhaps kaleidoscopic, view of present and
past. To stand on the remnants of the Via Appia today is
to stand in the pathway of history. With ''The Appian
Way'', Kaster invites us to close our eyes and walk with
him back in time, to the campaigns of Garibaldi, the
revolt of Spartacus, and the glory days of Imperial
Rome. No traveler will want to miss this fascinating
journey. |
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