The Representation of the Via Latina and the Via Appia Antica in the Agro Romano Cartographic Evolution

This research proposes as a topic of analysis the representation of the Via Latina and the Via Appia Antica in the cartographic evolution of the Ager Romanus (Lazio - Italy). In this case, the attention will initially focus on the historical, archival and cartographic research of the roads under study, to then focus on both the graphic interpretation of the territory as a whole complex system of interacting elements, both above all towards the ancient methods of graphic representation of the landscape that have evolved through the centuries. In particular, this analysis will focus on the Via Latina and the Via Appia Antica, which can be considered the main infrastructural arteries used by the Romans in the conquest of both Lazio itself and Southern Italy. The investigation will make use of the comparison between the oldest and most modern cartographic representations. At present, in fact, both the graphic evolution and the development of the topographical accuracy of the territory of the Agro Romano have never been compared in such a wide span of time; the purpose of this investigation is to shed light on these aspects that have progressed thanks to the increasingly advanced technical-scientific knowledge of the topographical discipline and the adoption of instruments for surveying and measuring the territory with an increasingly high degree of accuracy.