NEAR THE PORT OF BRINDISI, one of the largest in Southern Italy, a set of monumental stairs climb from the waterfront to a small square with a column and the remains of another. These are the Roman Columns of Brindisi, the origins and purpose of which are still unknown. Historically, it’s believed the columns marked the end of the Via Appia, a massive Roman road that connected the capital to the port of Brindisi, or the Via Traiana, a later alternative to the Via Appia.

Others have suggested that they were used as a point of reference for the sailors entering the port. The construction of the columns has been also attributed to Sulla or other Roman generals, stories even go back to the legendary foundation of the city by.