The "Via Salaria", originally known as Salaria Vetus, is considered the oldest of the Roman consular roads, and its name, unlike many others that were named after their builders, derives directly from its ancient origins connected with the transport of salt. Salt was essential for food preservation, was an easily tradable commodity, and later became part of soldiers’ pay, from which the word “salary” originates, referring to a worker’s remuneration. Regarded as one of the most ancient trade routes, the Via Salaria predates the founding of Rome. It originated as a very early route, probably as early as the 2nd millennium BC, traced by the Sabines and other Italic peoples. Initially, it was a simple path (a drovers’ track) that followed the left bank of the Tiber River and was used mainly for the movement of livestock between the inland mountains and the coastal areas, only later acquiring the importance and structure of a true road. The Salaria Vetus project is a photographic project that explores the theme of change. The road becomes a pretext, an excuse to traverse and observe the transformations occurring along its path: cultural, traditional, and territorial changes. Photographically, I have chosen to represent these shifts through a series of “portraits” of plants. The plants change along with the road: from urban species growing between concrete and sidewalks, to those of fields and countryside, up to the Apennine forests and coastal vegetation. Each section tells a different landscape, and through the plants, the rhythm of the territory can be read. Alongside this main narrative, I am also documenting the relationship between past and present in a complementary way: Roman bridges, Commercial activities along the road, and “strange sightings” that punctuate the route, such as seasonal markets at the roadside or enormous factories nestled in the woods. These elements sometimes seem out of place, yet they coexist in the same space, testifying to the strange but fascinating coexistence of nature, history, and contemporary life.