The Appian Way, or Via Appia, was essentially the ancient Roman equivalent of the interstate highway, except with more chariots and fewer rest stops. Picture this: a road so legendary, it was named after its architect, Appius Claudius Caecus, who probably thought, “Let’s make it easier for us to conquer places… but also, let’s have a scenic route for our Sunday drives.”

Built in 312 B.C., this stone-paved road stretched from Rome to Brindisi, cutting through mountains, marshes, and everything in between. It was like the Yellow Brick Road of ancient Italy, except instead of leading to the Emerald City, it led to military glory and economic boomtowns. The Appian Way was where you’d bump into soldiers marching to new frontiers, merchants hauling exotic goods, and maybe even a philosopher or two, pondering the meaning of life at 4 miles per hour.

But the Appian Way wasn’t just about getting from Point A to Point B. No, sir. It doubled as Rome’s premier billboard space, lined with the tombs of the rich and famous, making it the original “Hollywood Walk of Fame.” Only, instead of handprints, you got mausoleums and statues that said, “I was rich, I was influential, and I had a really good marble sculptor.”

So, the next time you’re cruising down the highway, spare a thought for the Appian Way, the road that laid the groundwork (literally) for thousands of miles of Roman roads and set the standard for road trips for millennia to come. Just don’t expect any fast-food joints along the way—ancient Romans were expected to bring their own snacks.