Roman roads: more than 2.700 years of reliability
Draining, resistant and innovative: this is how Roman roads were built and how they contributed to the greatness of the Empire
How important is infrastructure in managing an empire spanning three continents? Perhaps no one could answer this question better than the ancient Romans . Along with a massive army and efficient organization, something else helped make the Roman Empire one of the largest and most enduring in history: its roads.
Roman roads were built over 2000 years ago , and some of them still exist today in various parts of Europe, particularly in the Mediterranean region. Many sections of these roads have been preserved as tourist sites, while others have been destroyed or covered by modern roads or buildings. The remaining sections can be explored on foot or by bicycle, offering spectacular views of the landscape. In Italy alone, there are a dozen consular roads: Aurelia, Cassia, Flaminia, Salaria, Tiburtina, Casilina, Appia (known as the queen of roads – Viarum regina), Emilia, Postumia, Capua-Regium, Nomentana, and Prenestina.
A monumental work approximately 80.000 km long made up of 372 major roads, which extend across the territories of three continents , from Scotland to Mesopotamia, from the Atlantic coasts to those of the Red Sea, and crossed the Alps until reaching the heart of the Sahara.
The importance of Roman roads for the Empire
Roads were an engineering masterpiece of the era and played a fundamental role in the greatness of the Roman Empire. Roman roads allowed officials to travel quickly from one province to another to administer and control them, helping to ensure the stability of the empire and prevent local rebellions. Soldiers could move quickly from one front to another, allowing the empire to defend itself effectively against external threats. The Roman road system also fostered the development of trade , increasing the economic prosperity of the regions.
The streets were about 4-6 meters wide , so that two chariots could easily cross. In some cases, paved sidewalks ran along the sides. Furthermore, the streets were equipped with milestones , which indicated the distance in miles from the golden milestone located in the Roman Forum.
Incredibly, many Roman roads still standing are better preserved than many of those built in more recent times. Why? The secret, in addition to construction materials and techniques, lay in regular maintenance , repairs, and renovations. This helped keep the roads in good condition and allowed them to withstand the passage of time.
How are Roman roads built?
Roads certainly existed for a very long time. However, no ancient people were able to build, as the ancient Romans did, a widespread, public road network constructed with innovative techniques. But how were Roman roads built?
The Romans are thought to have inherited the art of road building from the Etruscans, improving both technique and materials.
Roman roads were built in layers of different materials and that's why you call viae stratae (hence the term 'road'). The construction process began with the architect's inspection and identification of the precise points where the road would pass. Subsequently, the land surveyors traced the route with the use of poles and groma (the square of the time). After digging the pit, we started with the layers: a deeper layer, statumen, of stones and clay; a second layer, rudus, made of stones, broken bricks, sand, all mixed with lime; a third layer, nuclei, of crushed stone and gravel; a cover, summum dorsum, of smooth stone slabs that fit together on top of each other resting on the nuclei. About 60 cm – 1 m from the surface, the pit was covered with gravel and then compacted (pavement).
Roman roads were incredibly well-drained , resistant to frost and flooding, and even after two thousand years, some of them are perfectly preserved. After all, if all roads lead to Rome , there must be a reason.
