APPII-FORUM ('Arrriou 06pore), a market town in Italy, 43 Roman miles from Rome (Itiner. Anton. p. ro7), on the great road (via Appia) from Rome to Brundusium, constructed by Appius Claudius. The remains of an ancient town, sup posed to be Appii-forum, are still observed at a place called Casarillo di Santa Maria, on the border of the Pontine marshes. Its vicinity to the marshes accounts for the badness of the water, as mentioned by Horace (Sat. i. 5, 7). When St. Paul was taken to Italy, some of the Christians of Rome, being apprised of his approach, journeyed to meet him as far as 'Appii-Forum and the Three Taverns' (dxpts 'Arriou 06pou Kat Tpatip Tapcpvfov, Acts xxviii. 15). The 'Three Taverns' were eight or ten miles nearer to Rome than Appii Forum. The probability is that some of the Christians remained at the 'Three Taverns,' where it was known the advancing party would rest, while some others went on as far as Appii-Forum to meet Paul on the road. The `Three Taverns'
was certainly a place for rest and refreshment (Cic. ad Attic. ii. II, 13), perhaps on account of the bad water at Appii-Forum. It must be understood that Tres Tabernm was, in fact, the name of a town ; for in the time of Constantine, Felix, bishop of Tres Taberme, was one of the nineteen bishops who were appointed to decide the controversy be tween Donatus and Cmcilianus (Opiates, de Schism. Donat., 1. i. p. 26). As to the tabemm themselves from which the place took its name, it is probable that they were shops for the sale of all kinds of refreshments, rather than inns or places of enter tainment for travellers. The ruins of this place still exist under the same name.—J. K.