The ancient Romans were the world’s first gourmets. They owe their obsession with food, at least in part, to fellow citizen Marcus Gabius.

For my “Food For Thought” column of October 2014, Heinz Beck, Rome’s only chef with three Michelin stars, told me: “During my 20 years at La Pergola my cuisine has passed through several styles: from traditional, to creative with imaginative side dishes, to technically cutting-edge, to attentive to health issues. Healthy menus are my top priority. 

Since the artichoke, carciofo in Italian, is the cornerstone of Roman Jewish cuisine, it seemed an appropriate accompaniment to this issue’s “Jewish Rome: Europe’s Oldest Community” (see pages 52-53). 

On July 31, UNESCO proclaimed the Via Appia, or Appian Way, Italy’s 60th World Heritage Site. Running about 500 miles from Rome south to Brin disi and lined with cy-presses and umbrella pines, the Via Ap-pia was begun in 312 BC by its namesake, the blind Censor Apppius Claudius Caecus, for military reasons.