The First Milestone of the Via Appia, Rome, Italy

The First Milestone of the Via Appia, Rome, Italy

This ancient Roman column marks the starting point of one of history’s most famous roads — the Via Appia, built more than 2,000 years ago. 🏛️ From here, Roman surveyors measured every distance in mille passus — meaning “a thousand paces.” A single pace was one double step by a Roman soldier, and after 1,000 of them, they had marched one Roman mile — about 5,000 feet. When England later adopted the system, it was adjusted to 5,280 feet, but the name mile stayed — a direct descendant of Roman marching precision. So the next time you drive a mile, remember — you’re retracing the footsteps of ancient legionaries who measured the world, one step at a time. Rome, Italy – The First Milestone of the Via Appia

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