Social Studies 8
Unit: The Rise & Fall of Rome
Lesson: Roman Roads
Learning Intensions – Prescribed and Related Learning Intensions
It is expected that students will:
 Identify factors that influence the development of world civilizations
 Identify factors that influence the decline of civilizations
Read the following information and view the video link. Use the information
from each of these sources to construct a FISHBONE DIAGRAM.
I.
Introduction to Roman Roads
The Roman Empire was connected with a vast number of roads. (See
the attached map – figure 2.2 – from page 41 of Pathways). The road
system stretched from Britain in the north to Egypt in the south. Even
today, the ancient roads can be seen when travelling throughout
Europe.
II.
Who built the Roman Roads?
Many Roman soldiers were trained engineers as well as soldiers. When
not fighting, they often had to build roads. A carving on a rock in North
Africa tells us that:
Document #1
In the reign of Emperor Hadrian a battalion from the 6 th Legion built this road.
The famous Roman historian, Livy, wrote:
Document #2
After restoring peace to his province, the Consul Flaminius would not allow soldiers
to laze around and made build a road from Bologna to Arretium.
Soldiers, surveyors, slaves, and local tribesmen carried out the work.
III.
What purposes did the roads serve?
Roads lined the Roman Empire together. Most of the roads were built,
or fortified, as the Romans said, so that the army could march quickly to
help keep the Empire under control. Armies could be sent to areas of
unrest very quickly to put down rebellions. Roads also increased trade.
People could use the road system to bring their goods to market. This
meant more taxes for the Roman Emperor. In Britain, important
industrial areas, like the lead and silver mining districts of Somerset and
Derbyshire, were connected with very good roads.
Roads also helped spread ideas across the Empire. For example,
Christianity was able to spread quickly across the Empire and to Britain
because of the road system. People who spread the word of Christianity
could travel quickly to each town with new ideas.
Tolls were collected along the roads and people who travelled along the
roads had to pay to use them. Traders had to pay different sums when
transporting different types of goods: for example, it cost much more to
transport a slave to market than it did a goat. Roman officials paid
nothing to use the roads and got free lodgings and fresh horses at
government *hostels along the main roads. They also used the
government hostels as post offices.
IV.
Were any problems created by the construction of the Roman Roads?
Unfortunately, travellers on the roads also aided in the spread of
diseases throughout the Empire. In addition, the enemies of Rome
could use the roads to invade and conquer the Empire. This is what the
barbarian tribes used when they invaded and eventually sacked Rome in
410 C.E. The tolls on the roads also made it difficult for poorer people to
use them as they may not have been able to pay the toll. This forced
many to take less protected pathways and trails where robbers often lay
in wait. High taxes were one of the economic problems that plagued
Rome and the roads tolls added to those taxes.
V.
How did the Romans go about building their roads?
First, surveyors planned the route. Usually they chose a straight line,
the shortest distance, but not always. They would aim at the high
points in the landscape so they could check from one high point to the
next whether or not the road was straight. The surveyors preferred dry,
level ground, or ground called the military crest, just below the top of
the slope where soldiers could see without being seen. The engineers
often cleared trees from the roadside to give a better warning of attack.
These things helped avoid an *ambush.
*hostel: a lodging place for travellers where they could get food and a bed
*ambush: a surprise attack from some hiding place on an approaching enemy
The engineers used local materials, so not all roads were exactly alike. Most
main roads had a curved (convex) surface and side ditches for drainage. They
had a solid base of stones and sand while the top of the surface was finished
with fine gravel and larger paving stones. Once an area was surveyed, a full
Roman Legion (6000 soldiers) could complete approximately 1 kilometre of
road in a single day.
VI.
YouTube Link:
How Roman Roads were built (History Channel)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRYHsiCvmhc
VII.
Conclusion:
The Romans were very skilled engineers. They built many roads that
connected them with the far reaches of their empire. These roads had
many uses and had an incredible impact on both the rise and the fall of
the Empire. Even today, remains of these roads can be detected all
across Europe. When the Western Roman Empire collapsed in 476 C.E.,
the road system fell into disrepair. As a result, travel throughout the
Europe severely declined in the Middle Ages.
Map, The Roman Empire 150 C.E.: Source, Pathways p. 41 (Figure 2.2)
p. 41, Fig. 2-2
The military
would want
roads so that
troops could
move easily
and quickly
around the
empire.
Ordinary
people would
want to use the
roads for travel
and trade.