Mausoleo di Cecilia Metella e Castrum Caetani - Parco Archeologico dell'Appia Antica

About

The Mausoleum of Cecilia Metella is one of the symbolic places of the Via Appia Antica. This funerary monument built between 30 and 10 BC, which stands out at the third mile of the road, about 300 m south of the complex of Maxentius, still impresses the traveler today with its grandeur and elegance, which add to the charm of having been reused in medieval times as a castle tower still perfectly preserved. From the outside, the tomb looks like a tall cylinder covered with travertine slabs, resting on a square base of which only the cement core in flint flakes is mostly preserved. Inside, a conical burial chamber open at the top with an oculus, guarded the body of a rich Roman matron belonging to one of the most important noble families of the time and probably daughter-in-law of the famous Marcus Licinius Crassus, a member with Caesar and Pompey of the 1st Triumvirate in 59 BC

At a glance

• Typical visit: about 1 hour 30 minutes