Increasing Mobility in A Growing Empire

Roman roads were the backbone of the empire that developed around the city on the Tiber. A unique cultural microsm evolved around the creation, maintanence, restoration surrounding the road. All roads led to Rome, "Roads of Spain, France, Britain, Germany, Austria, Hungry, Yugoslavia compressed by Antonine Itinery into 10 routes which crossed the Alps into Italy on the way to Rome." (p. 252 Hackey) As the empire expanded the volume of traffic and quantity of trade goods entering the city expanded and the importance of roads grew exponentially.[link] Rome became a mobile civilization and misstress of the world because of her systematic control of world space through her roads. Without roads, Rome was cut off from her colonies. Without roads, rome had no control and no access to the empire which the city was quickly becoming dependant on.

*The Roads of the Romans (Hackey p. 18-19)*

Veins of the Corpus: Pumping Influence

Rome was the heart of the empire and her roads could be compared to the veins in a human body. Without the roads/veins the blood cannot reach the heart and the heart cannot funtion. The city's dependance on roads led to great dedication of resources and energy from the state. Politics gradually became intertwined with the building and maintenance of roads and many roads were named after politicians and emperors in campaigns for public approval.[link] It was not only important to keep goods flowing into the city but to keep influence resonating out. Influence came through Roman officials posted at even the most remote colonies, through the exportation of Roman culture and goods but also through the military.[link] The roads were thouroughfares of news and communication both formal and informal. [link] Roads were not merely means of transportation but the lifeblood of the empire and fascilitated the growth of Rome in a variety of different ways.

*Sales of Cloth, Uffizi Museum, Florence (9a Balsdon)*

Political Infrastructure

Economic Infrastructure

Transmission of News

Military Movement and Peace-Time Occupation

Maintenance and Upkeep

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