Sepolcro di Caio Attilio Evodo

Along the evocative route of the Appian Way, shortly after passing the imposing Torre Selce (a spectacular 13th-century tower erected on the ruins of a pre-existing Roman mausoleum), the traveler's gaze is caught by a more humble yet extraordinarily evocative detail. On the left side of the path, set in a simple brick wall, is an epigraph well worth a visit. It is not just a relic, but a true voice from the past, speaking directly to the modern visitor. Its text, a message engraved in stone, transforms the archaeological experience into a personal encounter spanning millennia. It reads: "Stop, traveler, and turn to the left, at this tomb which contains the bones of a good, merciful man, a friend of the poor: I beg you, traveler, to do no harm to this tomb. Gaius Attilius Evodus, freedman of Serrano, pearl seller on the Via Sacra (in the Roman Forum), lies in this monument. Farewell, traveler. Reading these words in situ is a deeply moving experience. Suddenly, ancient history ceases to be an abstract concept and takes on the form of a man: Gaius Attilius Evodus. From the stone emerge his profession (a pearl merchant who worked in the beating heart of Rome, on the Via Sacra), his social status (a freedman, therefore a former slave who achieved freedom and success), and above all his personality. The heartfelt appeal to the traveler to respect his tomb and his self-description as a "good, merciful man, friend of the poor" convey the image of an individual who cared to leave a virtuous legacy of himself, almost as if he wanted to protect his memory beyond death. Once past the monument and continuing along the road, it's impossible not to look back toward Torre Selce and the Roman countryside, carrying with you the thought of that "pearl seller" who traveled this same road two thousand years ago. The epigraph isn't just a relic to be admired, but an emotional bridge that makes the connection with the ancient city incredibly more intimate and authentic. A small, yet great, gem hidden along the queen of roads. Need some useful info? Then leave a like and look for other reviews on Rome and beyond.