The expression “All roads lead to Rome” has two meanings. The saying, which originated in Ancient Rome, refers to the efficient road system built by the Romans. Consular roads started from the capital and connected the entire Empire, facilitating trade, military expansion, and communications. This phrase reflected the fact that by following any major road, one could reach Rome, the heart of the Empire.
In addition to its literal meaning, the expression also has symbolic value: it indicates that there are different paths to reach the same goal, emphasizing the possibility of arriving at the goal through different routes, both in daily life and in personal decisions.
The most important roads that connected Rome to the provinces
The most important Roman roads that connected Rome to the provinces were crucial for the control and management of the Empire. Here are some of the main ones:
- Via Appia: Known as the Regina Viarum (Queen of Roads), it was built in 312 B.C. and connected Rome to Capua, later extended to Brindisi, one of the most important ports for connections with the East.
- Via Aurelia: Built in the 3rd century BC, it connected Rome to Liguria, passing through Luni and continuing to the northern coast of Italy.
- Via Flaminia: Inaugurated in 220 BC, this road connected Rome to Rimini, passing through Umbria. It was one of the main routes to northern Italy.
- Via Cassia: Built in the 2nd century B.C., it connected Rome with inland Etruria and continued as far as Massa, in present-day Tuscany.
- Via Salaria: One of the oldest Roman roads, used to transport salt from the mouth of the Tiber River to the Sabine region.
- Via Tiburtina: Connected Rome with Tivoli and was later extended as far as Pescara, crossing the central Apennines.
- Via Postumia: Built in 148 BC, it connected Genoa with Aquileia, passing through northern Italy and crossing the Po Valley.
- 8. Via Egnatia: This road crossed the Balkans, connecting the Balkan regions to the Bosporus, facilitating connections between Italy and the East.
These roads not only facilitated the movement of Roman legions, but were crucial for trade and communication between Rome and the provinces of the Empire.