Who own the road to the Roman past? The case of the Via Vipsania aka the chaussée romaine, the Römerstrasse, the Romeinse kassei, aka the Via Belgica

Abstract

This paper focuses on the various roles the ancient road between Boulogne-sur-Mer and Cologne has played beyond Roman times. From the sixteenth century onward, the changing motives and goals for the preservation of this road ensured that it has served multiple purposes (nostalgia, transportation, legitimation, and tourism), often directly linked to regional or national interests of the territories or nations the road crosses. In these preservations, the Roman past was mostly perceived as the supreme civilisation shaping the identity of several groups and regions, although the trajectory of (parts of) the road most likely originated from Celtic times and also played an important role for Medieval trade. The paper concludes with recommendations for the ways the road could be preserved, conserved and explored in the future, addressing various groups of audiences and with a transregional focus.