The culture of Roman walking is as old as Rome itself – at least according to Virgil, whose Aeneid includes the “primeval” story of a Roman ambulatio. The poet decides to introduce his readers to the site of Rome by having Aeneas walk through it, as the Arcadian king Evander and his Trojan guest wend their way through groves and hills destined for greatness (Aen. 8.306–12):

1. exim se cuncti divinis rebus ad urbem

2. perfectis referunt. ibat rex obsitus aevo,

3. et comitem Aenean iuxta natumque tenebat

4. ingrediens varioque viam sermone levabat.

5. miratur facilisque oculos fert omnia circum

6. Aeneas, capiturque locis et singula laetus

7. exquiritque auditque virum monimenta priorum.