Manfred G. Schmidt, "A Gadibus Romam. Myth and Reality of an Ancient Route", in: Bulletin of the Institute of Classical Studies, 54,2 (2011), 71–86
Abstract
The four goblets from Vicarello, which show copies of a Roman itinerary from Gades to Rome engraved on their outside (CIL XI 3281–3284), are usually interpreted as souvenirs brought to Vicarello by Spaniards as votive offerings after a long journey. In this article it is argued that these itineraries (just like the one in Metrodorus’ poem, Anth. Pal. XIV 121) are representing the legendary Via Herculis; they are to be understood as a Roman attempt to grasp the immense mythical distance by means of exact measurement. The goblets are dating to the 4th century AD (goblet IV being the oldest from the very beginning of the century), not to Augustan or Trajan times.