La via Amerina e l'agro falisco: storia e memoria attraverso una strada antica

The Via Amerina, monumentalised after the foundation of the Roman town of Falerii (Falerii Novi), is an important example of an archaeological context characterised by a long continuity from the pre-Roman period to the present day. The paper will analyse the dynamics of the changing uses of the road throughout the centuries: the role of the route as a link in pre-Roman period; its military, commercial and funerary functions in Roman times; the expansion of the Christian religion and its strategic role in Late Antiquity; its progressive decline since the Middle Ages. Finally, a proposal will be made, considering the concept of memory and belonging in the modern local population: today the Via Amerina is an object of interest for the scientific community, but also a symbol of cultural appropriation and identity awareness for individual citizens and cultural institutions of the area.