Smithsonian Magazine · People & society

Roman Roads Not as Connected to Rome or Straight as Believed

New research analyzing the Roman Empire's road network challenges long-held assumptions about its design and connectivity.

Contrary to the adage, not all Roman roads led to Rome, and they were not always as sophisticated or straight as commonly believed. A digital map of the empire's 190,000 miles of roads in 150 CE was analyzed using topographical data and historical context.

The study found that while Romans favored straight routes where possible, they adapted construction to the landscape, incorporating features like terracing and bridges. This resulted in roads that were not always the most direct.

Analysis revealed that other Roman cities were better connected than Rome itself. For instance, when considering movement within Italy, the most central road was found on the Adriatic coast, bypassing Rome.

Provincial capitals were exceptionally well-located on their respective road networks, facilitating administration and tax collection. The eastern capital, Byzantium (modern-day Istanbul), was more connected to the wider empire than Rome.

Some Roman roads were durable, paved with stone, cement, and gravel, and their influence is visible on modern maps. For example, Spain's N-340 highway follows the ancient Via Augusta.

Roman roads facilitated continental travel through the medieval period until the advent of railroads and modern highways. Some contemporary routes still trace ancient Roman paths.

A key limitation of the study is that the road network developed over 600 years, with insufficient accounting for temporal differences in the analysis.

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