Designing Roman Roads

doi:10.2307/526811

Sign up

Designing Roman Roads

Published Nov 1, 1998 · H. Davies

Britannia

Q1 SJR score

14

Citations

0

Influential Citations

Full text

Semantic Scholar

Abstract

The central thesis of this paper is that the Romans used land surveys and maps as integral parts of the road design process. This is not the conventional view, and is in direct contradiction to a fundamental assumption made by the acknowledged master of the subject, I.D. Margary. After praising the achievements of the Roman road builders he writes: ‘…it should be remembered that no maps or compasses were available to them.…’ As far as the magnetic compass is concerned, it certainly seems unlikely that it was familiar to the Romans, but the sun-dial offered a reliable, if less convenient, alternative method of finding the north–south direction. However, the supposed absence of maps is more critical, and has led to the putting forward of many exotic theories to explain how the roads were designed and laid out. Despite their ingenuity, these theories are highly impractical, yet still fail to explain how the Roman engineers solved the problems they faced. This paper shows that available knowledge and equipment were quite adequate to allow the Romans to design their roads with the same level of careful planning as they demonstrated in other fields of technical endeavour.

Study Snapshot

Key takeawayRoman road designers used land surveys and maps, contrary to the conventional view that they did not, demonstrating their careful planning and knowledge of technical equipment.

PopulationOlder adults (50-71 years)

Sample size24

MethodsObservational

OutcomesBody Mass Index projections

ResultsSocial networks mitigate obesity in older groups.

Sign up to use Study Snapshot

Consensus is limited without an account. Sign up or log in to use Study Snapshot and unlock more functionality.

Sign up or log in

Designing Roman Roads

Sign up to use Study Snapshot

References

Shaping the Rural Environment: Surveyors in Ancient Rome

Land distribution in ancient Rome was a familiar and important aspect of life, involving soldiers and citizens, and was viewed as under the personal direction of the emperor and his entourage.

Marinus, Ptolemy and the Turning of Scotland

The turning of Scotland in Ptolemy's map of the British Isles is crucial for understanding the province's evolution and military campaigning in the North.

An Atlas of Roman Britain

This Atlas of Roman Britain explores the geology, landforms, climate, coastal change, military conquest, economic development, countryside religion, and the end of Roman Britain.

Ordnance Survey: Map Makers to Britain Since 1791

Ordnance Survey, founded in 1791, has provided accurate maps of the British Isles for government, business, and leisure needs since then, evolving from early surveying methods to modern satellite positioning and digital mapping.

Greek and Roman maps

Greek and Roman map-making skills, combined with growing knowledge of geography, led to the development and widespread use of maps similar to those of modern times.

An illustrated history of Roman roads in Britain

The Roman roads in Britain are a complex and muddled archaeological record, with a number of contradictory references and a lack of confidence in the interpretation of the stratigraphic report.

Citations

Rereading St Ann’s Hill

St Ann's Hill, a modern landscape architecture project, reveals a hidden sexual subjectivity and challenges conventions in its design, likely homageing a previous couple who lived on the site and demanded secrecy.

When History Leaves a Mark: A New Measure of Roman Roads

This paper introduces a new measure of Roman roads in Italy, which computes their length in kilometers at different administrative and territorial levels, providing a precise and easy-to-extend empirical tool for historical infrastructures.

Roman Transport Network Connectivity and Economic Integration

The Roman transport network significantly influenced economic integration over two millennia, with connectivity differentials continuing to influence cross-regional firm investment behavior.

Roman Roads to Prosperity: Persistence and Non-Persistence of Public Goods Provision

Greater Roman road density leads to greater modern road density, settlement formation, and economic activity, but this persistence weakens in areas where wheeled vehicles were abandoned.

Shaping the Empire : agrimensores, emperors and the creation of the Roman provincial identities

Roman agrimensores or land surveyors shaped their identity as experts in land organization and regulation, influencing the shaping of discourse about the Roman Empire and its peoples.