Appius Claudius Caecus
Appius Claudius Caecus was a Roman politician and censor who initiated construction of the Appian Way and Aqua Appia in the late fourth century BC.
Appian Way: A Roman road built from Rome toward Capua, begun under Appius Claudius Caecus in 312 BC. Caecus’s most enduring road project connected Rome with southern Italy.
Roman magistracy: The system of elected public offices through which ancient Rome administered government and exercised executive authority. Caecus’s authority came through elected offices, especially the censorship.
Gaius Plautius Venox: A Roman politician who shared the censorship with Appius Claudius Caecus in 312 BC. Venox was Caecus’s fellow censor when construction of the Aqua Appia began.
Samnite Wars: A series of wars between Rome and the Samnites for control of central and southern Italy from the fourth to third centuries BC. Caecus’s road building took place amid Rome’s struggle for control of Italy.
Aqua Appia: Rome’s first aqueduct, completed in 312 BC under the censorship of Appius Claudius Caecus and Gaius Plautius Venox. This aqueduct brought water into Rome during Caecus’s censorship.
Roman census: A periodic registration of Roman citizens that recorded status and property for taxation, military service, and political classification. As censor, Caecus altered how citizens were enrolled and classified.
Quintus Fabius Maximus Rullianus: A Roman statesman and general who held the censorship with Publius Decius Mus in 304 BC. Fabius reversed Caecus’s enrollment changes during his censorship.
Roman Republic: The period of Roman government before the establishment of the emperors, conventionally dated from 509 to 27 BC. Caecus held office within the Republic’s elected magistracies and political institutions.
Roman censorship: A Roman magistracy responsible for the census, public morals, and aspects of state finance and public works. Caecus used the censorship to undertake major construction and alter civic arrangements.
Roman public works: Infrastructure projects built or maintained by Roman authorities, including roads, aqueducts, and public buildings. His road and aqueduct projects used state authority to build durable infrastructure.