Ancient treasures hidden by nature
VIA CASSIA AND VIA CLODIA
Via Cassia and via Clodia, which coincide for the first stretch of road inside Rome, split at La Storta. From there, they follow the tracks of the ancient consular roads which penetrated Etruscan territory. Close to the dense urban fabric, a rustic countryside unfolds, which mysteriously hides necropolises and ancient ruins, mainly Etruscan.
Despite its complexity, the territory shares some features, mainly connected to its volcanic origin. These are apparent in the agriculture and the cattle breeding.
More specifically, the hilly areas specialize in the production of good extra virgin oil and DOC wines, whereas the extensive woody stretches provide undergrowth products, such as mushrooms and scented truffles, and a breeding ground for a specific quality cattle, the “manzetta blerana”.
The woods are home to plentiful families of wild boars, whose meat is used in the traditional cuisine. Another tradition to remember are the ancient acorn-bearing oaks of the Treja valley, which fed, over one thousand years ago, the pigs bred in the large fortified papal farm, the “domusculta di Capracorum”. This farm was founded between the 8th and the 9th century to supply the Rome market. Finally, the woods allow bees to produce an excellent honey.
The presence of the Bracciano and Martignano lakes has meant that these inland territories have sweet-water fish (tenches, pikes, eels, and coregons) in their diets based.
There are many places in this area to the north and north-east of Rome, which are included in the three itineraries presented here, where nature guards vestiges of ancient civilizations. These are the: Park of Veio, between via Cassia and Flaminia, the Bracciano and Martignano lakes on via Clodia and, finally, the itinerary of the Treja Valley park between via Cassia and Flaminia.
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Historycal itineraries
