Antique Roman roads covered not only Rome itself, but also its vast empire. First they appeared in Italy, and then their construction was carried out in different parts of Europe, Asia and Africa. The created network connected any point of the empire. Initially, it was intended exclusively for the military, but in peacetime couriers and trade caravans moved along it, which was extremely important for the whole society. Ancient roads have been used for many centuries, even after the fall of the great empire.
Monument of antiquity
The quality of Roman roads, unique for its time, was the result of state supervision of their construction. Already the laws of the twelve tables (relating to the 5th century BC) determined the uniform width of the paths and obliged the people who lived next to them to enclose their sections.
Each Roman road was paved with stone, making it convenient for travelers and horses. For the first time, censor Appy Claudius Tsik resorted to such a construction technique. At his direction at the end of the IV century BC. e. a road was erected between Capua and Rome. By the time the republic became an empire, the entire Apennine peninsula was covered by this important transport network.
The Appian Way established a connection between Rome itself and the overseas countries that later became the provinces of the empire: Greece, Asia Minor, and Egypt. Today, along what remains of the ancient highway, there are various monuments of the past. These are aristocratic villas used by the Jews and Christians of the catacombs. Near them coexist medieval fortifications and towers, as well as buildings of the Italian Renaissance.
Prosperity and decline
Every new Roman road got its name by the name of the censor at which it was built, or by the name of the province. Only those paths that were located on the urban territory or on the approaches to them were paved. The remaining network was covered with rubble, sand and gravel - materials mined in special quarries.
At the top of the power of the ancient empire, Roman roads in total had a length of about 100 thousand kilometers. It is thanks to them that the state received significant revenues from domestic land trade. With the help of merchants, economic expansion was carried out. Mediterranean goods now fell into those regions in which they had not even dreamed of. Ancient Roman roads equally helped transport both Iberian wine and Numidian cereals.
In the III century, the empire was hit by numerous barbarian tribes. At first, pagan armies plundered only border regions. However, when the power of the emperors weakened, the hordes began to penetrate even into Italy. Any Roman road that appeared in their path facilitated a raid by the barbarians, as the Latin legions themselves had in their time. When the empire collapsed, the construction of new roads stopped. In the "barbarian kingdoms" of the early Middle Ages, many of the Roman engineering structures were abandoned and forgotten.
Ancient tricks
In the Roman state there was a special surveyor post. These people were marking the route of the future road. To facilitate this work, special tools were used. Among them were long rulers, similarity of goniometers, triangular diopters, necessary for determining the height and alignment.
Roads passing through rough terrain were built with a reduced slope for the convenience and safety of travelers. At bends, the track became wider. This was done so that the carts that were opposite each other had the opportunity to warm up without incident.
Construction progress
Each Roman road began with the fact that in its place the whole growth and any shrubbery were cut down. After carrying out geodetic calculations and measurements, markings were made. This was followed by design, which was carried out by engineers. Slaves, prisoners or soldiers participated in the construction. Among them were masons who cut down special plates laid in the foundation of roads.
Construction was carried out simultaneously in different areas located at a distance from each other. The road consisted of several layers and therefore rose slightly above the flat terrain. If the route ran through the hills, then the workers could build special embankments and ditches. Artificial elevations and depressions helped to make the transport artery smooth and comfortable. With the threat of soil precipitation, the old Roman roads were equipped with supports.
The foundation consisted of uncut stone blocks. The gaps between them represented the simplest drainage system (ditches also pulled out for drainage along the paths). The next layer of sand or gravel was needed to level the surface. Above it lay earth or lime, necessary to give the canvas softness. In some cases, the road could be divided into two ways. One was for horses, the other for pedestrians. A similar feature was extremely useful if troops used the road.
Mail and policing
In ancient Rome there was the most perfect postal service for that time. Couriers using the network of roads quickly spread news and messages to the most diverse parts of the vast empire. In a day they could overcome the path of 75 kilometers, which was an incredible achievement for the ancient era. Typically, couriers rode carts to the top loaded with boxes. If the message was urgent, the postal officer could drive it separately on horseback.
To emphasize their status, couriers wore special hats made of leather. Their service was dangerous, as robbers could attack travelers. Guard posts were built along the roads. The military kept order on the roads. Some camps gradually grew up in fortresses and even towns.
Restaurants and taverns
Long trips could not do without rest. To this end, state builders erected overnight stations. They were located about 15 kilometers from each other. There were horses changing. Even more comfortable but rare were the inns and taverns. In them, travelers could acquire useful things on the road that were sold by a blacksmith or a kabachik.
Some taverns (especially in remote provinces) enjoyed a poor reputation. Then travelers could spend the night with local residents. It is known that in Roman society the widespread custom of hospitality was adopted. In addition to inns, barns and warehouses could be caught on the roads. They were run by a special service responsible for supplying cities with food.
Bridges
Like the most famous Roman road (Appieva, leading from the capital to Capua), almost all other roads were erected in the forward direction. The builders avoided the swamps. If the route followed the river, then the designers tried to find a ford. However, Roman bridges were also distinguished by quality, and some of them (like the Trajan's bridge over the Danube) have even survived to the present day.
During the war, authorities could specifically destroy the river crossing in order to prevent the enemy from penetrating deep into the territory of the empire. But even in this case, the former supports remained, and subsequently the bridges were quickly restored. A characteristic feature of their structure were arches. Wooden bridges were fragile, but cheaper.
Some crossings were notable for their mixed construction. The supports could be stone and the flooring wooden. Such was the bridge in Trier, on the border of the empire with Germany. It is characteristic that today in the German city only antique stone pillars are preserved. To overcome too wide rivers, pontoon bridges were used. There was also the practice of arranging ferry services.
Maps with antique road network
During the reign of Emperor Caracalla at the beginning of the 3rd century, Antonin's Itinerary was compiled - a book-index, which listed not only all the roads of the empire, but also their distances, as well as other interesting data. Since the construction of Roman roads continued in subsequent years, the collection was rewritten and supplemented several times.
Many ancient maps were subsequently stored over the centuries in monastery libraries throughout Western Europe. In the XIII century, an unknown author made a parchment copy of such an ancient document. The artifact is called the Peitinger table. The 11-page roll depicts the entire Roman Empire and the network of its roads at the top of its grandeur.
There is no doubt that trade routes served as a source of knowledge for the ancient people about a world full of mysteries. The names of various tribes inhabiting the vast expanses from Africa to England and from India to the Atlantic Ocean were fixed on the famous table around the roads.
Public roads
Many sources have been preserved about how Roman roads were built. Such, for example, are the works of Siculus Flacus - the famous ancient land surveyor. In the empire, roads were divided into three types. The former were called public, or praetorian. Such paths connected the largest and most significant cities.
Public roads, having a width of up to 12 meters, were built by the state at the expense of the treasury. To finance their construction, temporary taxes were sometimes introduced. In this case, the cities to which these roads of the Roman Empire led were taxed. It also happened that the route ran through lands belonging to large and wealthy owners (for example, aristocrats). Then these citizens also paid tax. There were rangers at public roads - officials who monitored the condition of the canvas and were responsible for its repair.
Country and private roads
Country roads branched off from wide public roads (the second type, according to the ancient classification). These paths connected the surrounding villages with civilization. They accounted for the bulk of the imperial transport network. Their width was 3-4 meters.
The third type of road was private. They were funded and owned by individuals. As a rule, such roads were built from a rich estate and adjoined a common network. They helped wealthy aristocrats quickly get to the capital from their own villas.