Rome's VIA Appia is an ancient Roman ROAD that was built in 312 BC by the censor Appius Claudius Caecus. It was the first major Roman ROAD and connected Rome to the port of Brindisi, located in the southeastern part of Italy. The VIA Appia was used for centuries as a major trade route and was also used by military forces. The term 'VIA Appia' is derived from the Latin word for 'ROAD, ' and the three-letter answer to this crossword puzzle is VIA.