In the 12th century the Astalli family used the sub-structure of a giant ancient Roman tomb as a base for a huge tower, today known as the Torre Selce or ‘Selce Tower’. It’s around mile marker 7 of the Via Appia Antica south of Rome. The middle ages were tough on the ancient monuments of Rome as they were used as quarries and provided people with convenient supplies of brick and stone. Later centuries, particularly the 18th and 19th, saw foreign travelers come and take away the sculptures and artifacts, leaving mostly sad detritus behind. The hundreds of Romans who built their tombs along the Via Appia had their sepulchers looted and dismembered. Still, today, it’s a very worthwhile walk, the best stretch being the 3 or so kilometers between the Mausoleum of Caecilia Metella and the Torre Selce.