Roads. Contrary to the popular saying, all roads did not actually lead to Rome. The empire had a web of highways in almost every province, connecting cities and army camps, stretching across deserts, winding through mountains, and plunging deep into forests. Like President Dwight D. Eisenhower's system of interstate highways in 1950s America, Roman roads were built with security in mind; they allowed the free and efficient movement of armies. Army engineers designed them while on campaign, and soldiers, during times of peace, constructed them, thus keeping busy and fit when not on campaign. Roads were also built as populist measures that assisted in general travel and trade. In building the Via appia in 312 B.C.E., Appius Claudius was making it possible for rural populations to participate in the civic life of the city, as well as employing large crowds of...