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Primary sourceArtifact13 BC

Via Julia Augusta

13 BC

A Roman road built on Augustus's order linking Italy to Gaul after his conquest of the Alps, showing his investment in imperial infrastructure.

Commissioned by Augustus to connect Italy to Gaul after his Alpine conquest, part of his imperial building program.

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Historical colored map of northern Italy and the Ligurian coast showing Roman roads traced in colors: a purple line for the Via Julia Augusta running along the coast from Nicaea and Albintimilium through Albingaunum, Savo and Genua inland toward Dertona, a red line for the Via Aemilia Scauri from Luna and Pisae area northward to Placentia and Parma, and a blue line for the Via Aurelia running south along the coast past Pisae and Volaterrae. Place names are printed in small italic script over shaded terrain, with the Gulf of Genoa in the lower center.
Via Julia Augusta, begun 13 BC under Augustus.

About this source

What it is

The Via Julia Augusta was a Roman road begun in 13 BC under Augustus, formed by joining earlier roads, running from Placentia in Italy to Arelate in Gaul along the Ligurian coast. Later emperors renewed its engineering works.

Why it matters

The road illustrates Augustus's programme of building infrastructure to bind conquered territory to Rome, following his victory over Alpine tribes. The route passed the Tropaeum Alpium, a monument celebrating that victory, and included bridges and funerary monuments built by Roman engineers. Its long use and later decline and restoration show how Roman infrastructure shaped the region for centuries afterward.

Look closer

  • Why would an emperor invest in roads soon after a military conquest?
  • What does the survival of bridges and monuments along the road tell us about Roman engineering?
  • What might this road have meant for ordinary people living along its route, compared to the emperor who ordered it?

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Secondary source

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Photograph of a marble sculpted head on a white background. It has short, wavy hair carved in curling locks, large almond-shaped eyes with heavy lids, a straight nose, and a small closed mouth. The neck is broken off at the bottom.Sculpture

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Relief Head of the Young Augustus

Marble statue of a standing man in armor, right arm raised pointing forward, with a draped cloak over his left arm. A small cupid-like figure with a dolphin stands beside his right leg. Plain dark grey background.Sculpture

Secondary source

Augustus of Prima Porta

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Primary source

Ara Pacis

13-9 BCE

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