VIA

LABICANA  , an ancient highroad of Italy, leading E.S.E. from Rome . It seems possible that the road at first led to Tusculum, that it was then prolonged to Labici, and later still became a road for through traffic; it may even have superseded the Via Latina as a route to the S.E., for, while the distance from Rome to their main junction at Ad Bivium (or to another junction at Compitum Anagninum) is practically identical, the summit level of the former is 725 ft. lower than that of the latter, a little to the west of the pass of Algidus . After their junction it is probable that the road bore the name Via Latina rather than Via Labicana . The course of the road after the first six miles from Rome is not identical with that of any modern road, but can be clearly traced by remains of pavement and buildings along its course . See T . Ashby in Papers of the British School at Rome, i . 215 sq . (T . As .