The engineers of the Roman Empire: "All roads lead to Rome."

Golden Arches
Originally uploaded by lapidim.

Some of the world's extraordinary roads were built by Roman engineers. They built 50,000 miles of roads across the vast empire.
* Roads were a military necessity.
* Roads enabled trade and profit and wealth.
* many of their roadways have lasted 2000 years.
* Imagine 6000 crucifixions along the famous road called the Via Appia (begun in 326 BC). Those punished along the Via Appia were slave rebels in the army of the gladiator Spartacus. See Worldbookonline for more of his fascinating story.
* Atop the Roman arches were built both aqueducts and viaducts.

Thesis: today's internet is an apt comparison with the network of roads created by the Romans.

Handout: The Roman Empire map & symbols
1. Aegypticus / Egypt
2. Alexandria
3. Jerusalem
4. Palestine / Judaea / Israel
5. Syria
6. Asia Minor / Turkey
7. Black Sea
8. Byzantium / Constantinople / Istanbul
9. Aegean Sea
10. Graecia / Greece (Hellas)
11. Athens
12. Roma
13. Sicily
14. Carthage / Tunisia
15. Espana / Spain
16. Gaul / France
17. Rhine R.
18. Danube R.
19. Londinium / London
20. Britannia / Britain
21. Pax Romana, 30 BC - 200 AD
23. aqueduct / viaduct
24. Circus Maximus, Rome
25. Pantheon, Roman temple
26. Hibernia / Ireland


Independent work:
Differences between the Pantheon and Parthenon.