Stately pines and singing birds — no wonder I love the symphonic poem “Pines of Rome.”
In it, Italian composer Ottorino Respighi represented, in four movements, various locations in Rome where pine trees grow.
While I enjoy the whole piece, I love the final movement, “The Pines of the Appian Way," which the composer described as “misty dawn on the Appian Way: pine trees guarding the magic landscape; the muffled, ceaseless rhythm of unending footsteps."
The footsteps were those of victorious Roman soldiers, who, after their military conquests were returning to their homes, marching along the ancient road called the Appian Way.
The Appian Way was constructed in 312 B.C.
It served as the main route for supplies and was also used for triumphal processions when armies marched back to their homes to celebrate victory.
I have to wonder if it was first a footpath or perhaps even a game trail.
Almost all of the highways and roads in the Great Lakes region started out as game trails.
Deer and other creatures usually find the easiest route through an area, so it is more than likely that nomadic First Nation people used game trails as they moved from place to place.
Certainly, European explorers and settlers took advantage of established trails.
And archaeologists tell us that almost all of our major highway systems follow the ancient trails of First Nation people.
Since the retreat of the last Ice Age, megafauna — large animals — used trails to reach their summer ranges.
We know from tribal stories and archaeological evidence that Indigenous people followed established trails as they returned each year to their seasonal encampments.
Ever since Europeans arrived in the region, people have followed the same ancient routes to their summer places — places with pines guarding the magic landscape — just as the triumphant Roman soldier joyfully marched beneath the stately pines along the Appian Way in Respighi’s music.
And if you listen, you can hear them coming.
