Who commissioned the Appian Way, Rome’s famous ancient road, in 312 BCE?

Appius Claudius Caecus commissioned the Appian Way in 312 BCE.

The road was named Via Appia after its sponsor, the Roman censor Appius Claudius Caecus. It originally connected Rome with Capua in southern Italy, helping Roman armies and officials move through territory contested during the Samnite Wars.

The route was later extended farther south, eventually reaching Brundisium, the important port that connected Italy with travel toward Greece and the eastern Mediterranean. Its construction used durable paving and carefully engineered surfaces, though different sections varied in design and condition.

The Appian Way became one of Rome’s most important military and commercial roads. The saying “all roads lead to Rome” reflects the broader importance of Roman communications, but it does not mean every Roman road literally began or ended there. The Via Appia remains archaeologically visible in and around modern Rome.