The Towing Technique: History and Archaeological Significance
Towing Path (alaggio) (named after Latin traho, trahere, to pull) was such an important technique in river navigation in antiquity, essential for transporting goods where the current prevented or strongly slowed down the ascent of sailing or rowing boats. Its historical relevance is perfectly visible in the archaeology of great waterways, such as the Tiber, and the roads that flanked them. Towing consisted of pulling the boats against the current using terrestrial motive power. Along rivers like the Tiber, it was the only effective method for bringing ships loaded with heavy materials (such as salt, stone blocks, foodstuffs, marble) from the maritime ports, like Portus (Fiumicino), up to the internal river ports of Rome, particularly the Forum Boarium and the Emporium.
The river boats, typically flat-bottomed barges (chiatte) or barques, were connected to long ropes (restes) which were then attached to draft animals (oxen, horses, or, as in the case of the Via Campana, buffaloes) or men, leveraging the physical strength of specialized teams (resti or funarii).
The hauling took place along a specially prepared river bank, the towing path or towpath (alzaia), known in Latin as the via alaria.
Towing and the via Campana
The via Campana is the most cited and significant archaeological example of the towing technique in Rome. Its route, which unlike the via Portuense did not go inland but closely flanked the right bank of the Tiber, reveals its primary function. Road archaeology and cartographic analysis confirm this role: the need for a route that was as straight and flat as possible was crucial to maximize hauling efficiency and prevent the rope from snagging. The presence of a basolato (paved section) along the via Campana, like the one found in the ENI area, suggests that the road was not a simple path, but a solid, maintained infrastructure, capable of supporting the constant passage of animals and people. The evolution of the name into “Strada delle bufale” (street of the buffaloes) starting from the 16th century is the most direct linguistic and historical evidence of the via Campana’s towpath function, a word that immortalized its centuries-old use long after its disappearance from official sources in the 3rd century AD.
Economic and Infrastructural Significance
Towing was not just a technique, but a logistic system that fueled Rome’s economy. Without the efficient ascent of goods, the capital’s supply would have been severely compromised. Towpaths were therefore equipped with supporting infrastructure: mansiones (post stations) served for the rest of the haulers and animals, such as those identified along the via Campana; service buildings such as thermal baths (terme) were essential for the hygiene and refreshment of the workforce; finally, constant hydraulic maintenance was necessary to ensure the functionality of the towpath and the riverbank. Summing up, the towing technique left an indelible mark on Roman territorial organization, and the via Campana is the archaeological monument par excellence of this, underlining how ancient road and river engineering worked in symbiosis for the economic survival of the Empire.
