The Via Salaria

The Via Salaria was named after the salt that had been transported along it from the salterns of the mouth of the Tiber since time immemorial. Following this Roman road, our knowledgeable guide introduces this particularly diverse terrain to us. The route leads over hills full of maquis shrubland and through lonely valleys and gorges. The paved road is all but lost, however precise coordinates and mentions of milestones allow us to find the route reliably through overgrown grass and ancient olive trees. Glimpses of sculpted boulders or the remains of overgrown walls provide the historian Esch with opportunities to conjure up images like a Roman villa filled with statues, a simple estate, or a compact mini-castle. Supplemented with lively quotes, such as a portrayal by Roman scholar Varro of his aunt's high-end poultry farming operation at the Via Salaria's 24th milestone, we submerge ourselves in long forgotten times, which suddenly seem very close.