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Travel and communication (s24) (Although travelling wasn't easy, lots…
Travel and communication (s24)
Although travelling wasn't easy, lots of money and time and skill was devoted to building good roads across the Roman empire.
Roads were as straight as they could be. Only if there was a really impassable area would they have a sharp bend. They would never make curved roads
Special way to make them exactly straight where necessary: they would go to high points along the route and light fires with smoke aiding positioning. They would beacon all the high points and use special devices called gromers to gradually move all the beacons into a straight line
Once the path was marked out, they built up with dirt and mud an embankment known as an 'agger'. These could be at times as tall as 1.5m and allowed a firm foundation
They would then make a footing of large stones to strengthen this
After this, they would place rubble and smaller stones on top to form a hard core
Finally, they would make the surface flat with small bits of flint or slag from iron mines to finish off the surface
Road surfaces were curved to allow drainage: water flowed from the arch-like surface to ditches dug along the outside
Originally, roads were built to allow soldiers to move around and control provinces
But other uses: the
cursus publicus
Imperial post was designed to allow the transportation of Roman government letters and documents
Official documents could go 50 miles a day; day and night in emergencies ~150mi
Government officials might make journeys on official business with a
diploma
warrant. This would allow them to receive new horses at posting stations along the roads
There were inns on the roadside for travellers to have rest stops
These were dirty, small, uncomfortable
There were thieves, drunks, prostitutes
If possible, travel by sea was more popular
Only available to travel in the sailing season March to November
Pirates, storms and underwater obstructions caused issues
Most sea travel was freight on merchant ships. People who wanted to travel would bargain with merchants
Ships would only set sail if wind was good and an animal had been sacrificed to gods.
There were some days (like our Friday 13th) thought to be unlucky and thus no ships set sail on them
When ready and food loaded on, captain, passengers, slaves would come on board.
There were no cabins unless for really wealthy passengers; many slaves/less wealthy slept on the deck
When the ship arrived, another sacrifice took place and then rowed tug boats pulled ships in