Roman Roads: Building, Linking, and Defending the Empire
Overview
The Roman Empire was, until the peak of the British Empire, the mightiest empire the world had ever known. At its peak it dominated virtually all of Europe, part of Africa, and most of the Middle East. One of the factors that made it possible to build, administer, and defend the Roman Empire was its intricate system of roads, which were so well designed and well constructed that they were still in use a millennium after they were first built. As the saying went, "All roads lead to Rome," and it was upon its roads that the Roman Empire extended and controlled its vast expanses.
Background
Roads have existed in some form for nearly 4,000 years. They were mostly used for trade and, in general, were no more than frequently followed paths with some sort of improvements at river crossings, swamps, and other difficult stretches. In some cases, branches and logs were laid on the ground to ease walking or horse-riding, but little more than this was standard. Different cultures made their own unique contributions to road building: the Egyptians were master surveyors, the Greeks excelled at masonry, the Etruscans developed cement-making and paving,and the Cretans were also skilled at paving.
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