Archeology Itinerary: Via Flaminia
This
itinerary crosses the region longitudinally, through
town centers, where the unification action conducted by
the Roman colonization has left deep tracks that are
visible also in the road infrastructure.
Journeys relating to: Otricoli, Narni, Terni, Spoleto,
Trevi, Carsulae, Bevagna, Foligno, Nocera
Umbra, Gualdo Tadino, Fossato di Vico, Scheggia
Museums
Bevagna: Archaeological Museum
Foligno:Archaeological Collection
Fossato di Vico: Archaeological Collection
Gualdo Tadino: Archaeological Collection
Narni: Palaeontological Collection and
Pre-historical Municipal Collection
Nocera: Archaeological Collection
Otricoli: Municipal Archaeological Collection
Sigillo:Municipal Collection
Spoleto: Archaeological Museum
Terni: Archaeological Museum
Trevi: Saint Francis Museum-Picture Gallery
This itinerary longitudinally cuts through Umbria by following the road system that is part of Via Flaminia.
In the past it represented the center of Roman excellence in Umbria, and was also used in later times by travelers and pilgrims heading to Rome from the northeast.
This road was made by the consul and censor Caio
Flaminio, with the exploitation of other existing routes
around the year 220 BC. It was made for
strategic-military purposes, and to satisfy the demand
for a quick connecting route considering the Roman
conquest of the Valle Padana. This artery is a clear
testimony of the capillary and progressive occupation
operations by Rome on the Italic territory, and of
grading process and cultural layout that they achieved.
The course of the Flaminia, that entered Umbrian territory at Ocriculum, divides, near to the Latin colony of Narnia (Narni), into two well-distinguished branches with respect to the axes of the Martani Mountains. The western route headed towards Carsulae, Statio ad Martis (Massa Martana) and Mevania (Bevagna) and is generally indicated as the older of the two, while the eastern "diverticulum" headed towards Interamna Nahars (Terni) and Spoletium (Spoleto) and was considered to be successive.
In
reality, it is highly probable that the two were made
simultaneously, but answered different needs. It is in
fact likely that the tract for Mevania could
have been used for military displacement while the route
for Spoletium was used for routine
communications. The route becomes unique once more near
to San Giovanni Profiamma, identified with the Roman
site of Forum Flaminii and then continues
towards Nuceria Camellaria (Nocera),
Tadinum (Gualdo Tadino), vicus Helvillum (Fossato
di Vico), exiting from the actual southern limits of the
region at the Scheggia Pass (statio ad Hensem).
Along the route there is the possibility to visit many places of extraordinary interest, both cultural and beautiful landscapes, most of all touching ancient towns with historical continuity, among which the two Latin colonies of Narnia (Narni) and Spoletium (Spoleto), but also substantial archaeological events relative to urban entities that were abandoned in the late-ancient epoch - Ocriculum, with Umbrian and Roman appearance, and Carsulae -, which present such well detailed and defined realities, that they give us suggestive spaces, in which the ancient can be perfectly appreciated and understood.
There
is a lot of material evidence relating to the road
itself, both in the double southern route and in the "grande
via", which can still be discovered and visited today.
The section of Flaminia that once led from the
Forum Flaminii to Rimini was known as the "grande
via". Bridges of significant importance are present
throughout this section, which according to ancient
sources, were restored by Augusto after the Senate
assigned him with Imperial power in 27 BC.
The proposed itinerary consists in travelling across the
entire Umbrian course of the Flaminia starting
from either north (Scheggia) or south (Otricoli). In
both cases the tour uses one of the two diverticulum,
leaving the other one for the return journey. Two
alternative circuits that require less visiting time are
also available. This option uses an ancient transverse
connecting road of two Flaminia branches: via
Romana or "delle Pecore".
2nd circuit
The second circuit leads to Foligno from Scheggia, and
from Foligno, following the eastern branch of the
Flaminia, goes on towards Trevi and to Spoleto.
From this city, along the Via Romana, passing through
the Macerino gorge and Portaria, continue on to
Carsulae and from here follow the southern
diverticulum in a northern direction towards Bevagna and
Foligno.
Courtesy of
Umbria 2000
© 1997-2010 Enrico Massetti
TangoItalia - Food, Wine, Travel, and... tango in Italy.
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Orvieto
Perugia
Perugia history
Passignano
Spello
Spoleto
Todi
Trasimeno Lake
Cascata Marmore
Archeology:
Etruscan origin
Sabine origin
Roman origin
via Flaminia
Colfiorito, Spoleto
Umbria's Art:
Great Renaissance
Contemporary art
Historic Hotels
Spirit itineraries:
Benedectin 1
Benedectin 2
Benedectin 3
Benedectin 4
Benedectin 5
Franciscan 1
Franciscan 2
Franciscan 3
Franciscan 4
Female Santity
Handicrafts:
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- wooden
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- iron copper
43 events