ABSTRACT
There seems little doubt, however, that a network of roads to the north of Sant’Angelo in Colle was created as early as the sixth century AD.3 on the basis of the need for visual contact between the summit of one hill and another for the construction of roadways in the early Christian period, Luigi Donati and Letizia Ceccarelli suggest that a road was originally cut down towards Sant’Antimo and Villa a Tolli from a point on the ridge road in the vicinity of Poggio Civitella. At the same time another line of contact was established between the latter and Sant’Angelo in Colle. A third road was then carved out to the west down to Roselle and the sea. Donati and Ceccarelli are of the opinion that there was originally no direct link between Poggio Civitella and Montalcino, or between Poggio Civitella and Poggio alle Mura, because of the intervening thick forest and sloping land.
