Via Flaminia
The road in Carsulae | |
Interactive map of Via Flaminia | |
| Alternative name | Flaminian Way |
|---|---|
| Location | Rome to Rimini |
| Type | Roman road |
| History | |
| Builder | Roman Republic, Gaius Flaminius, Roman censor |
| Periods | 220 BC |
The Via Flaminia (lit. 'Flaminian Way') was an ancient Roman road leading from Rome over the Apennine Mountains to Ariminum (Rimini) on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. Due to the ruggedness of the mountains, it was the major option the Romans had for travel between Etruria, Latium, Campania, and the Po Valley. The northern section of the road is where Constantine the Great had a vision of the Chi Rho, leading to his conversion to Christianity and the Christianization of the Roman Empire.
Today the same route, still called by the same name for much of its distance, runs parallel to or overlaid by Strada Statale (SS) 3, also called Strada Regionale (SR) 3 in Lazio and Umbria, and Strada Provinciale (SP) 3 in Marche. It leaves Rome, goes up the Val Tevere ("Valley of the Tiber") and into the mountains at Castello delle Formiche, ascends to Gualdo Tadino, continuing over the divide at Scheggia Pass, 575 m (1,886 ft) to Cagli. From there it descends the eastern slope waterways between the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines and the Umbrian Apennines to Fano on the coast and goes north, parallel to Highway A14 to Rimini.