Which ancient Roman road landmark marks the beginning of the Appian Way in Rome?

Porta Capena marked the beginning of the Appian Way in ancient Rome.

Porta Capena was a gate in Rome’s Servian Wall, the city’s early defensive circuit. It stood near the southeastern edge of the ancient city and formed the traditional starting point of the Via Appia, or Appian Way. The gate was named for the nearby town of Capena or the road leading toward it, although the exact origin of the name is debated.

The Appian Way was begun in 312 BC by the censor Appius Claudius Caecus. It connected Rome first with Capua and later extended toward Brundisium, modern Brindisi, making it a major military and commercial route through Italy. Porta Capena therefore became associated with one of Rome’s most important roads.

The gate itself no longer survives as a standing monument. Later Roman developments and changes to the city’s walls altered the area. It should not be confused with Porta San Sebastiano, a surviving gate in the later Aurelian Walls along the Appian Way.