8 Ways Roads Helped Rome Rule the Ancient World 1. They were the key to Rome’s military might. 2. They were incredibly efficient. 3. They were expertly engineered. 4. They were easy to navigate. 5. They included a sophisticated network of post houses and roadside inns. 6. They were well-protected and patrolled.
Political systems are also a factor in the creation of empires. A country with a single, dictatorial ruler is much more likely to create an empire, because that leader has the ability to make quick decisions, and doesn't have to be checked by anyone else. A single leader with a desire for power is more than enough to spark an expansion.
Technology, trade and military developments are also factors. Military developments can be a factor in territorial empires, because it allows the domination of one country with greater military strength over others with lesser military strength.
Land surveyors, or “gromatici,” began the building process by using sighting poles to painstakingly chart the most direct route from one destination to another. The resulting roads often shot straight up steep hills, and small bridges and tunnels were built to ensure the path could traverse rivers or pass right through mountains.
As the legions blazed a trail through Europe, the Romans built new highways to link captured cities with Rome and establish them as colonies. These routes ensured that the Roman military could out-pace and out-maneuver its enemies, but they also aided in the everyday maintenance of the Empire. Reduced travel time and marching fatigue allowed ...
The first major Roman road—the famed Appian Way, or “queen of the roads”—was constructed in 312 B.C. to serve as a supply route between republican Rome and its allies in Capua during the Second Samnite War. From then on, road systems often sprang from Roman conquest.
Each “mansio” offered basic lodgings for people and their animals as well as a place to eat, bathe, repair wagons or even hire a prostitute. pinterest-pin-it. A view of a paved intersection of the ancient Roman roads in Leptis Magna, Libya, the largest city of the ancient region of Tripolitania, pictured in May 2000.
Switching horses was especially important for imperial couriers, who were tasked with carrying communications and tax revenues around the Empire at breakneck speed. By stopping off at multiple posthouses, couriers could move as far as 60 miles in a single day.
Much like the road signs on modern interstates and freeways, these stone pillars gave the distance to the nearest town in Roman miles and instructed the traveler on the best places to stop. They also provided information on when the road was built, who constructed it and who last repaired it.
Britain’s Fosse Way, for example, only veered a few miles off course over its entire 180-mile distance. 3. They were expertly engineered. Roman builders used whatever materials were at hand to construct their roads, but their design always employed multiple layers for durability and flatness.
Those factors include philosophy, political systems, technology, trade, and military developments. When establishing an empire, desire for more resources, a better standard of living for its people and the desire for power among its leaders were big factors. But so were the philosophies of the people of a country.
Political systems are also a factor in the creation of empires. A country with a single, dictatorial ruler is much more likely to create an empire.
A territorial empire is an empire that is gained through direct military conquest -- an empire taken by direct force. A hegemonic empire, on the other hand, is an empire that is created by exerting influence and coercing other states into doing things.
But all three can be factors in hegemonic empires, because greater technology, trading leverage and military power can be a huge bargaining chip that can be used in coercive ways, allowing countries to exert control over others . Even at the fall of empires, these factors come back into play.
Military developments can be a factor in territorial empires, but all three can be factors in hegemonic empires, because greater technology, trading leverage and military power can be used in coercive ways. Learning Outcomes. Once you are finished with this lesson, you should be able to:
Lesson Summary. An empire is a multi-national or multi-ethnic state where one culture is politically or militarily dominant over the others. Or in other words, it's where one country or ethnic group takes over the land of resources of many others. There are two main types of empires: territorial empires and hegemonic empires.
There have been many empires over the course of history. Examples include the British Empire, the Mongol, the Roman, the Ottoman, and the Chinese Empire. Whatever the type of empire, there were many factors that influenced the creation, growth and decline of the empires.