In Roman Footsteps

 This past Sunday, Michael and I took advantage of an outing proposed by one of the local historical societies here. The plan was to walk along what are thought to be the vestiges of the Via Amerina, admiring the medieval and in some cases Roman architecture along the way. Following our perambulations, we would lunch together at a local agriturismo heretofore unvisited by us.

Meeting at 7:30, we started off. Our guide explained to us that at a certain period in Roman history, the Empire held essentially only the wide area around Rome and Ravenna (to the north, direction Venice). To get from Rome to Ravenna, however, meant staying within a rather narrow corridor; on either side were to be found hostile forces. The Via Amerina was the road in the center of that narrow tract. While it is still easily visible south of Narni, the northern reaches within Umbria are less distinct and more open to interpretation based on geography and landmarks. It appears as though it was not paved with the huge stones used elsewhere, or perhaps the stones were taken in later times for building.

The first mill we came to:
the owner was able to make enough
money to purchase houses
 for each of  his ten children
back in the 1950s

Since it is located in a valley (which is flatter and better for walking and/or transporting goods with donkeys and carts), it also is near a river, the Arnita. What do you find along rivers but mills? There are apparently eight mills still extant on the Via Amerina in our area; our hike saw us passing by four. They are all in private hands now, mostly with the "guts" removed, but we were lucky enough to be given a tour by one mill owner whose equipment is still as it was last used in the 1970s. The building has been used continuously since before the 1500s by the same family. The person living there now is the last descendant of this family, though, so it ends with her.

First mills, abandoned since the 1970s

First mill, entrance.

This first mill was not properly part of the Via Amerina, but rather was located on the Arnita. We had to follow a little woodland path to meet up with the Amerina.

Having walked in the woods for a bit, we emerged
onto a path skirting a field. Fiore is in the distant left.

Everyone was ragging on my beloved castle. From
what I gathered, the crenellations may have been 
added later? Anyway, since it's not like the local architecture,
they don't it.

You can just see Todi in the distance

This is how the path looked
for most of the way

Roman and later travelers would need a place to stop and rest, get basic amenities, and so on. Thus were developed "ospedali" on the way: not "hospitals" in the current sense of health care centers, but "hospitality" locations in the sense of overnight facilities and maybe even some basic health care for travelers. The point of interest we were directed to is called "ospedalicchio", and is the location of what was originally a way point. In the medieval period, it became a facility run by the order Santa Maria Maddalena di Montecchio (I think I remembered it properly) and specialized in treating leprosy. At that time, bathing of the diseased skin was found to be restorative; the local river was certainly helpful with that. There was also a small chapel which is still present today, and has been recently restored as part of an ambitious agriturismo project which had a major setback due to the pandemic.

This is a huge new wannabe agriturismo that
fell on hard times in the pandemic. It hasn't yet
been finished, yet all the copper downspouts have 
been stolen.

Now attached to the large
building above, this was a chapel associated
with the "ospedale"

First bridge! Certainly
rebuilt since Roman times 
based on the masonry work

The Arnita runs mostly dry in summer

I found the geology intriguing

Second mill! We couldn't get closer because the road 
deviated from the river and it was private property.

Ponte Romana, most certainly rebuilt in the medieval
and recently repointed.

Because the safe corridor
was narrow, it was watched from towers
for possible troop movements or 
incursions by the surrounding enemies. 
This was the Torre Olivieri, owned by the same 
family as the last mill we visited.

Third mill, purportedly privately owned as a summer
house.

Third mill, from the other side.

Ponte Falce, "Sickle Bridge" 
because of the curved path heading
out of the "handle" provide by the bridge

Ponte Falce from the side

Wild boar! Actually somewhat protected by an agriturismo

Such a sweet face! It was snuffling along rooting up plants.
Yes, they're very destructive and can be extremely
dangerous, particularly when they have young.

I realize that I somewhat stupidly didn't take photos of the outside of the fourth mill. It is a working farmhouse, hardscrabble existence for sure. The owner was gracious enough to show us the workings of the mill, which has not been in use since the 1970s.

Christmas dinner

The far left was for animal feed, the right (center) was for polenta

Left (center in real life) was the polenta mill, right was for flour.
There were levers underneath the various mills to divert the water
flow and provide power to the particular mill.

Scale for weighing bags

Olive grinding

The jute disks were used in
olive pressing for filtration

The roads out of the farmhouse were so steep that we were told to walk up them and one of our guides would take a few drivers in the car he'd thoughtfully left at this location back to the parking area to pick up the rest of us. We walked up some seriously steep roads that our Panda would not have been able to travel. Even having got to the "less steep" portion, when we were finally in the vehicles, we had to get out three times to push the car up the hill! Really inaccessible countryside. Absolutely lovely, though.

And then, lunch! Who should we clap eyes on upon entering? My dear friend Orietta!! I knew that she'd been waitressing but had not idea it was in the particular location. It was a lovely spot with an openable terrace/dining room.

View from our (shaded) seats

We had some of the best prosecco I've ever had, and several of our co-adventurers were also commenting on it. It didn't have a label on it, and was served out of completely plain glass bottles. Because of this, I asked the waiter about it and he said he'd let me know which winery it came from. Unfortunately, we all forgot before we left because we were stuffed with a delicious meal and in a food coma. I did send a message to Orietta, though, and she brought me four bottles to enjoy! Finally, I've found out which cantina it came from. 

Yeah, not so fast. How did it come? Yes, in the same plain, green bottles it was served in at lunch. Sigh. And the thing is, it's not even got a mushroom cork with a cage. We'll have to drink it quickly so we don't risk its popping!

Cheers,

Alexandra