Editing Appian Way (section)

=== The barrier of the Pontine Marshes ===
[[File:Sepolcro Priscilla Appia Antica.jpg|thumb|[[Tomb of Priscilla]]]]
[[File:Monument of Gaius Rabirius Hermodorus, Rabiria Demaris, and Usia Prima Enhanced.jpg|thumb|Grave monument of Caius Rabirius Postumus Hermodorus, Lucia Rabiria Demaris and Usia Prima, priestess of [[Isis]] along the Via Appia, near Quarto Miglio]]
[[File:San Sebastiano fuori le mura (Rome).jpg|thumb|upright|[[San Sebastiano fuori le Mura]], located on the catacombs of San Sebastiano]]

Between Capua and Rome lay the [[Pontine Marshes]] (''Pomptinae paludes''), a [[swamp]] infested with [[malaria]]. A tortuous coastal road wound between [[Ostia Antica (archaeological site)|Ostia]] at the mouth of the [[Tiber]] and [[Neapolis (Apulia)|Neapolis]]. The [[Via Latina]] followed its ancient and scarcely more accessible path along the foothills of [[Monti Laziali]] and [[Monti Lepini]], which are visible towering over the former marsh.

In the [[First Samnite War]] (343–341&nbsp;BC) the Romans found they could not support or resupply troops in the field against the Samnites across the marsh. A revolt of the [[Latin League]] drained their resources further. They gave up the attempted alliance and settled with [[Samnium]].