Via Asinaria

About

Via Asinaria was an ancient Roman road that started from Porta Asinaria in the Aurelian Walls (Rome). It was somehow connected with the Via Latina, as it is reported that Belisarius, during its advance on Rome, left the Via Latina to enter the city from Porta Asinaria; the latter was considered one of the main accesses for those coming from the south, as in ancient times the 17th-century Porta San Giovanni didn't exist. Via Asinaria is mentioned by Rufus Festus, who, in one passage, places it between Via Ardeatina and Via Latina. The historian therefore suggests that its route, starting from Porta Asinaria to the east of Via Latina, had to cross the latter, since Via Ardeatina is west of Via Latina, on the other side of the urban gate. The actual route is still debated among historians, but probably the initial stretch on the outskirts of Rome coincides with that of the present Via Appia Nuova.

Antonio Nibby (op. cit. P. 587) believes that it started from Porta Caelimontana in the Servian Wall.

Porta Latina is closed nowadays, so Via Latina is interrupted at this point: nonetheless, it can be reached by walking out Porta Appia and going along the [Aurelian] walls. You pass two modern...