"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."
Researchers at Aarhus University and the Autonomous University of Barcelona built the Itiner-e dataset, covering about 300,000 kilometres of Roman roads across Algeria, Egypt, Turkey and England. An animated companion traverses disparate regions of the empire at its 2nd-century CE peak to illustrate how roads supported agriculture, commerce and taxation that sustained imperial governance. The animation also highlights risks associated with roads, including attracting bandits and spreading disease. The dataset and video demonstrate how detailed cartographic and digital-media tools can illuminate infrastructure, logistics and economic networks across expansive historical polities.
Read at Aeon
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