Appius Claudius Caecus
The history of infrastructure and its development can be traced to Appius Claudius Caecus.
Appius Claudius Caecus was Censor of Rome in 312 BC at the height of the Second Samnite War. His forethought and responsibility for the public spaces and buildings of Rome caused him to construct the Via Appia, the Forum Appi and the Aqua Appia.
On one man the establishment of a transport, supply and communication infrastructure in the Via Appia linking Rome to the strategic important city of Capua, at that time the capital city of Campania.
The Forum Appi was at the end of the Via Appi in Rome and was established as the market place to allow the goods of southern Italy to be sold to the urban population of Rome.
The needs of the urban population went beyond food and fuel (provided in the Forum Appi by the Via Appia) to include water. This was the purpose of the Aqua Appia, the first aqueduct built by the Romans.
The supply of food, fuel and water to Rome, as provided by Appius Claudius Caecus, laid the foundation for Rome to rise to greatness.
The hard infrastructure of Appius Claudius Caecus allowed the soft infrastructure organisastions to thrive and provide Rome with the material means to dominate Italy and the Mediterranean. Not least of these soft infrastreucture organisations was the Roman Army. The construction of the Via Appia enabled the Roman Army to move quickly and effectively when it was needed and was the blueprint for all future roads.
Appius Claudius Caecus showed how effective infrastructure is key to gaining success. The Second Samnite War was concluded in 304 BC with victory for Rome and domination of southern Italy. Appius Claudius Caecus has claim to be the Father of Infrastructure.
