From the Appian way to the polycentric urban system: Caserta and its territory

For southern Italy, the Appian Way has represented not only a principal connecting artery but also a factor of territorial cohesion which shaped socio-economic events, influenced patterns of settlement, and changed the landscape. Part of an environmental context – the Campanian Plain – characterised by extremely fertile soils and flourishing agriculture, the route known as the Regina viarum contributed to the formation and gradual consolidation of urban centres which represent focal points in the territorial organization.