<P> The aorta is the root systemic artery . In humans , it receives blood directly from the left ventricle of the heart via the aortic valve . As the aorta branches , and these arteries branch in turn , they become successively smaller in diameter , down to the arterioles . The arterioles supply capillaries , which in turn empty into venules . The very first branches off of the aorta are the coronary arteries , which supply blood to the heart muscle itself . These are followed by the branches off the aortic arch , namely the brachiocephalic artery , the left common carotid , and the left subclavian arteries . </P>
what is the name of the main artery which takes blood from the heart to the body
aorta