Travel the roads of the Roman Empire – a bold project mapping 300,000 km of a vast, ancient network is brought to life
– by Aeon Video
An intricate system of roads connected the furthest reaches of the Roman Empire, which at its height in the 2nd century CE spanned modern-day Algeria, Egypt, Turkey and England. A collaboration between researchers at Aarhus University in Denmark and the Autonomous University of Barcelona in Spain, the Itiner-e project aims to build the world’s most detailed map of Roman roads, with its dataset currently covering some 300,000 kilometres.
An animated companion to the project, this video traverses disparate regions of the empire at its peak to show how these roads were used to support the agriculture, commerce and taxation that made such a sprawling polity possible. It also highlights their potential perils, including attracting bandits or fostering the spread of disease. More than just a fascinating exploration of Roman imperial logistics, the project demonstrates how digital media tools can help bring historical scholarship to life.