THE VIA POPILIA ROUTE

The famous Via Popilia is the main route crossing the LAG area of The Paths of Living Well.

The LAG area of The Paths of Living Well is the result of two Local Development Systems coming together, Alburni and Ancient Volcej, and is crossed by an important Roman road, Via Popilia, also known as via Annia or via Capua – Rhegium (Via ab Regio ad Capuam), which was commissioned by Consul Gaius Popillius Laenas 132 BC: the road left from Capua and crossed Campania and the inland Lucania region, passing through Eburum (Eboli), the Tanagro Valley and Forum Popilii (Polla).

According to historical findings, the Via Popilia road used to pass through the municipalities of Postiglione and Sicignano degli Auburni, at the Scorzo fork, the post station of Nares Lucanae (Lucania springs) in the hamlet of Zuppino di Sicignano degli Alburni, and then Auletta, Petina and Polla in the Vallo di Diano valley.

The route starts at the Eboli junction of the A3 motorway, follows essentially the present SS 19 road and ends near the Polla junction of the A3 motorway, and its total length is approximately 49 km.

Along the route you can visit:

• the Church of Santa Maria di Sperlonga at Palomonte;
• the inscription about the Via Popilia in the National Archaeological Museum "Marcello Gigante" in Buccino
• the Shrine of Maria Ss. dell'Incoronata at Sicignano Degli Alburni;
• the Queen's Fountain (la Fontana della Regina) located between the municipalities of Sicignano degli Alburni and Auletta.