Spätantike, frühes Mittelalter und Mittelalter 511
Arnold Esch, Zwischen Antike und Mittelalter.Der Verfall des römischen Straßensystems in Mittelita- lien und die Via Amerina. Publisher C. H. Beck, Munich . pages with illustrations, maps.
In ,Arnold Esch published his book »Römische Straßen in ihrer Landschaft.Das Nachleben antiker Strassen (sic) um Rom. Mit Hinweisen zur Begehung im Gelände«(Mainz ). Here, Esch enumerates five sections of Roman roads in CentralItaly: the Via Appia, the Via Cassia, theVia Flaminia, the Via Sala- ria and the Via Valeria. These descriptions follow the same concept: awalking route follows the trace of the former road, based on detailed survey-maps; in add- ition, ameticulous description is given of the ancient history and archaeologyofthe road section and the surrounding landscape. The publication is richly illus- trated: besides thesurvey-maps, there are also photos of the landscape and the road sections themselves and sometimes also illustrations of objects situated along the roads in present or in original times. »Zwischen Antike und Mittelalter« takes adifferent form. It is actually divided into two independentparts, although the title only suggests one. The first part is a general historical overview concerning the decline and fall of the entire Roman road system in Central Italy; the 512 Besprechungen second part is awalking tour along the Via Amerina, andolive oil – up untilthe fifthcentury corn wasimport- described in the same way as the Roman road sections in ed from Africa –,but some centuries later, Rome was »Römische Straßen«. Although the two parts are con- transformed into avillage of peasants, living amongst nected, the differences between them are striking. buildings and temples slowly turning into ruins. Al- The first part, »Straßen um Rom zwischen Antike though every classicist and historian knows that the Ro- und Mittelalter« describes the Central-Italian road sys- man Empire came to an end, making way for the Dark tem mainly from ahistorical point of view. It aims to Middle Ages, some illustrations are confrontational. answer the question how the busy, well-maintained Figure (p. )shows asmall farmatthe Forum of and straight road system around the city of Rome – Nerva. Totila’sthreat – during his siege of Rome – to an interregional network connecting the different parts change thecity into ameadow forcattle finally became of Italy, still well-functioning in thefourth century reality. Other images, showing agriculture in the centre A. D. – transformed into afragmented road system of Rome, are also used in another publication of where the interregional functions and connections A. Esch, Straßenzustandund Verkehr in Stadtgebiet were lost, and deteriorated into asystem of primitively und Umgebung Roms im Übergang von der Spätantike repaired local roads and even into sandy tracks. zum Frühmittelalter (.–.Jahrhundert). In: D. Mer- Esch shows how between the fourth and eighth tens, Stadtverkehr in der antiken Welt. Internationales century people must have witnessed the gradual dete- Kolloquium zur -Jahrfeier des Deutschen Archäolo- rioration of the road system and the facilities along the gischen Instituts Rom, .bis .April (Wiesbaden roads. In the first instance, the roads are still repaired ) (Kaiserfora,Imperial Fora). These illustra- and maintained provisionally, but during the increas- tions show an idyllic picture, but also apicture of ruins, ing political disturbanceinItaly, the importance of depopulation, poverty and desolation, almost apocalyp- road repair decreased. In the fifth and sixth centuries tical science-fiction: can we imagine grazing sheep on especially, the condition of the road system deteri- Times Square, TrafalgarSquare or Potsdamer Platz? orates quickly, and in the seventh and eighth centuries, When the reigns of the Ostrogoths and Byzantines large parts of it are inaccessibleoreven have disappear- had come to an end and the Pope was the last remain- ed; not only due to long overdue maintenance, but ing important power-figure, anew political structure also because of natural forces such as subsidence, was established. Anew economy arose and the local floods and overgrowing. Surface material of former road system remainedinuse. Even the maintenance parts of the road system,nolonger accessibleorin of ashrunken economy requires an infrastructure. Ro- use, was removed for other purposes; the material was, man roads are no longer roads built by Romans, but of course, useful for new buildings. Moreover, awell- roads leading to and from Rome. functioning road system was not only no longer suit- From p. onwards, the survival or demise of cer- able or desirable, but even undesirable: the unity of tain roads is discussed. The famous Via Appia, still the Roman Empire with its central capital was now used in by Belisarius for his campaign against the altered into an area where brutal invaders could use a Ostrogoths and praised by Procopius, will quickly de- well-functioning and straight road system for their teriorate after that time. Some road sections become own purposes. So, why maintain along-distance infra- inaccessible, and villages and settlements along the structure at great expense? road are abandoned.The Via Flaminia and the Via Esch then discusses the altered situation of the Cassia, leading to the north, are still important until roads: they no longer offer theshortest distance between the end of the Middle Ages – especially for pilgrims –, two important economic centres, but now they con- but compared with the situation in the classical era, nect as many settlements and (former) cities as pos- their functions are merely ashadow of what they used sible. Inevitably, theroads and the travelling times be- to be. The other Italian thoroughfares undergo come longer. The length of the road systemincreases roughly the same fate; other minor roads had already because the roads are no longer straight but winding, lost their function at an earlierstage. evading natural obstacles like slopes of hills and The Via Amerina, aconnectingroad between the Via mountains,and rivers. Cassia in the South and the Via Flaminia in the North, Along the new mediaeval roads, new settlements, is an exception. All roads deteriorate – in physiognomic churches and chapels arose. Many former Roman roads and economic respects, some slowly, others more quick- were abandoned and isolated, because they no longer ly – but the Via Amerina, in the transitional period from functioned as thoroughfares. Illustration (p. ) Antiquity to the Dark Middle Ages becomes increasing- shows asmall church, built precisely on abridge on the ly important. Over arelatively long period, it is the con- old Via Flaminia. In and around Rome, the traffic nection between two Byzantine areas: Rome and Raven- function of the road system was maintained over along- na, surrounded by the Langobardic Kingdom. er period of time, but after losing its dominant function The views of the Italians concerning the original Ro- of metropolis, Rome became aregional economic cen- man road system are discussed by Esch from p. on- tre, and the needs, products and services came from the wards. According to the author, their awarenessofthe surrounding area. In the fourth century, hundreds of roads themselves – as well as of thebuildings along them thousands of Romanswere still supplied with corn, meat – disappears from thepeople’smemory relatively quick- Spätantike, frühes Mittelalter und Mittelalter 513 ly. Milestonesare thought to be boundary marks and home), Rutilius Namatianusexplicitly describes that the meanings of terms change. ›Strata‹ becomes ›road‹, the surface of theroads has disappeared, being reduced rather than ›paved road‹.Esch puts forward another to sandy tracks or dams (aggeres): »Postquam Tuscus example: aminiature in aninth century manuscript ager postquamque Aurelius agger |perpessus Geticas (fig. ,p.)shows the Via Appia, on one side flanked ense vel igne manus |non silvas domibus, non flumi- by so-called ›centuriation‹–afield, divided into square na ponte coercet« (Since Tuscany and since the Aure- parcels or plots. Esch mentions that one was no longer lian highway, after suffering the outrages of Goths aware that the road section of theVia Appia had been with fire or sword, can no longer control forest with flanked by centuriation on both sides. This couldbe homestead or river with bridge). This passage is men- true, but the painter may also have suffered from lack of tioned in my publication Traffic and Congestion in space, or maysimply have preferred the green colour of the Roman Empire(London and New York ) mountains (or vegetation?) endnote (unfortunately missing in Esch’sendnote The first part of the publication ends with agener- [p. ], where he names certain publications concern- al picture of what ancient Roman roads look like ing Roman road systems and constructions). today: that they are still visible and how they can be It is apity that Esch does not discuss traffic flow. recognised in the landscape. Sometimes, they are com- To what extent, after the change from anational road pletely intact and well-preserved; sometimes it is pos- system into aregional one, did people make use of sible to discern traces of them, and sometimes, there is animals and wagons? How didthe means of transport nothing visible any longer. change when paved roads were reduced to sandy Just as in Esch’s»Römische Straßen«, in this publica- tracks, making travel more time-consuming along a tion there is alarge amount of illustrations, making this longer, more winding road? What did this mean for book very accessible to non-German speakers and non- pilgrims travellingonfoot, by wagon or on horseback? professionals. Nevertheless, not all of theillustrations What about toll points and safety along the roads? are distinct or give the right information. Illustration The second part, »Die Via Amerina von der Via (p. )shows alandscape; its sub-title mentions aRoman Cassia bis zum Tiber« describes the relatively un- road, complete with various constructions. The illustra- known Via Amerina from Rome to Ameria in its mod- tion, however, only shows awavy line (is this the Via ern form. Only thesection from the starting pointof Amerina?), and hardly any constructionscan be seen. the Via Amerina is actually discussed – the point where On the other hand, the sub-title of illustration (p. ) this road leaves the Via Cassia – to Orte,situated on refers to abridge (PonteSambuco), completely over- the banks of the Tiber. In this part, many detailed grown, almost invisible, so that apedestrian does not survey-maps are added; they are crucial for awalking realise that he is crossing abridge. Nevertheless, the il- tour in this area – where, Iassume, there are no signs. lustration shows avery clearly visible bridge. Or does the Besides archaeological evidence, Esch also discusses author suppose that the bridge is invisible when apedes- passages of Roman literature and epigraphical sources trian crosses the bridge over the top? In that case, apho- where the Via Amerina is mentioned. According to to of the road surface of the bridge, as seen from the top, these sources, the Via Amerina is one of the oldest would be helpful. Roman roads, datingfrom B. C. onwards, but on- Some illustrations have already been used in earlier ly named,according to written sources, in the second publications. For example, from Römische Straßen: or third century A. D. Ameria, the name of the city ill. ,p. (= ill. ,p. Straßen); ill. ,p. (= ill. , from whichthe road takes its name, is known espe- p. Straßen); ill. ,p. (= ill. ,p. Straßen); cially as the home of Sextus Roscius Amerinus, to ill. ,p. (= ill. ,p. Straßen). Other illustrations whom Cicero dedicates his speech Pro Sexto Roscio come from Straßenzustand: for example ill. ,p. (= Amerino. The distance between Rome and Ameria is ill. ,p. Straßenzustand) and ill. ,p. (= ill. , – according to Cicero – fifty-six (Roman) miles (twen- p. Straßenzustand). This overlap only occurs in the ty-one miles along the Via Cassia and thirty-five along first part. The annotations,however, differ. the Via Amerina; about eighty-threekilometres) and On p. –,Esch describes that thepeople living can be travelled by wagoninabout ten hours. Unfor- at the time of the Roman Empireofthe West were tunately, Esch does not give clear information concern- not aware of its end approaching, but that the dis- ing walking distances in this book, although this in- appearance of certain functions, including road repairs, formation is crucial for awalker. must have been noticeable. However, it was aslow It is evident that the Via Amerina crosses arugged, process. On the one hand, afterthe reign of Theodosi- mountainous area. We see that the road first traverses us I, no more milestones were erected; on the other avalley (an old volcano crater), then passes the village hand, more than acentury later, Theodoric and even of Nepi (with aphoto of the fine fortifications there), Narses in the sixth century ordered the repair of some and further crosses adeep gorge. The road then contin- road sections. Unfortunately, an important passage ues to Falerii Novi and beyond, partly along older, concerning the decline of the Roman road system is pre-Roman roads, ending at the Tiber river bank. not mentioned by Esch. In ,seven years after the There is alot of information for the reader concern- sack of Rome, in his work De reditu suo (On his way ing the various modern physiognomies of the road. At 514 Besprechungen its starting-point, theVia Amerina is still intact (ill. , the route had been divided into shorter sections, easily p. and ill. ,p.,sic), then partly intact (ill. ), approached,bymeans of amap, with the course of sometimes inaccessibleforest (ill. ,p.), asemi-pav- the Roman road clearly indicated, showing the well- ed road (ill. ,p.), an unpaved road (ill. ,p.) preserved sections, the lesser preserved sections, and and completely disappeared (ill. ,p.,map). Con- those which have completely disappeared (maybe by structions are also discussed: illustration (p. )shows means of adotted line), including aguide providing amodern bridge built in ancient-Roman style. important information on, for example, pubs, restau- Seven sections of the Via Amerina are described in rants and other facilities. In short, afold-out mapin detail; seventy-one marked points in these sections full colour at the back of the book, not only indicating give even more information concerning landscape, phy- the course of the Via Amerina, as far as it is visible in siognomy of the road, curiosities along the roadside the landscape, but also indicating modern roads, physi- (tombs, for example) and panoramic views. Without ognomies of the various landscapes (fields, meadows, the large amount of photos and other illustrations, it woods) in different colours and orientation points would actually be impossible to read this second part. such as pylons, railways, churches, et cetera. This Nevertheless, some valuable remarks can be made. would enable the reader to choose the sections of the At first, amap of the entire Via Amerina is lacking. Via Amerina he wishes to follow. This map could easi- Illustration (p. )shows an overview of the seven ly be updated in the case of changes in the landscape survey-maps, but it is unclear in which part of Italy like for example the erection of anew fence, the de- this area is exactly situated. Anyone who wants to molition of achurch, anew road et cetera. know the situation of the Via Amerina is forced to The first part is of particularly good quality. The take along aroad map or an atlas. It would have been reader acquires alot of conveniently-arranged informa- useful if aroad map of the former Roman road system tion about the transition from the ancient Roman could have been added, including the Via Amerina, in road system to the Early Medieval one (of which Rome adifferent colour; theroutes of themajority of other is still the centre). One can read this information in Roman roads, mentioned by Esch – besides the Via an armchair in one’sliving-room. The second partis– Amerina, also the Via Appia, Via Aurelia, Via Cassia, in my opinion – more suitable for reading in the field. Via Salaria and Via Flaminia – remain unknown to In that case, the measurements of the publication the reader. Readers are forced to acquire information should be smaller and equipped with more detailed from other publications on Roman roads – for exam- survey-maps, easily to be carried in abackpack. ple, theabove mentioned Traffic and Congestionin Asuggestion for the publisher: why not publish ase- the Roman Empire – or by means of an encyclopae- ries of volumes on this walking route, together with the dia, such as Wikipedia. Sometimes, for example on five other road sections as published in »Römische Stra- p. ,Esch states that the Via Amerina is mentioned ßen«, conveniently-sized, including practical informa- in the Peutinger Map, but an illustration of the Peu- tion on accessibility, facilities, and indicating where the tinger Map with the Via Amerina is absent. On the most well-preserved sections of roads are situated and, other hand, the above mentioned information – the finally, translated into four or five languages? Of course, Roman road systemand the Peutinger Map, is presented other roads outside Central Italy could also be added to in Esch’searlier publication RömischeStraßen: p. the series. In short: this is aseries of touristic walking (the road system) and opposite to p. (the Peutinger routes through places of historical interest, containing Map: Rome and its surroundings). added historical and archaeological information. As mentioned above, the seven sections of the walk- ing route of the Via Amerina are described in detail, Leiden Cornelis van Tilburg but how can the walker find his way? Point (Survey- map A, p. )mentions the junction of the Via Cassia and the Via Amerina. This junction is still completely intact, clearly shown in illustration (p. ). Ias- sume that the photo was taken towards the north, with the Via Cassia turning left here and the Via Amerina turning right, but this is unclear. The survey-maps show neither the junction itself, nor other traces of the Via Amerina. Moreover, the survey-maps are some- times cut off in an unfortunatemanner: on survey- map G, neither the name of the village of Orte, the end of the route, is visible (p. ), nor the name of Vasanello, the starting-point of the last section. From the name of the Tiber river only the last three letters »ERE« ([TEV]ERE)are visible. In my opinion,the second part of the publication, the ›walking guide‹,would have gained in quality if