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These roads were often managed in the same way as modern highways. Highways allowed the Roman legion to travel as far as 25 miles per day, and a complex network of post houses meant that messages and other intelligence could be relayed with astonishing speed. The Romans built over 50,000 miles of road by 200 A.D., primarily in the service of military conquest. Roman engineers adhered to strict standards when designing their highways, creating arrow-straight roads that curved to allow for water drainage. These Roman roads-many of which are still in use today-were constructed with a combination of dirt, gravel and bricks made from granite or hardened volcanic lava. To ensure effective administration of this sprawling domain, the Romans built the most sophisticated system of roads the ancient world had ever seen. Rome’s famous Trevi Fountain, for instance, is supplied by a restored version of the Aqua Virgo, one of ancient Rome’s 11 aqueducts.Īt its height, the Roman empire encompassed nearly 1.7 million square miles and included most of southern Europe. Perhaps most impressive of all, Roman aqueducts were so well built that some are still in use to this day. Hundreds of aqueducts eventually sprang up throughout the empire, some of which transported water as far as 60 miles. While the Romans did not invent the aqueduct-primitive canals for irrigation and water transport existed earlier in Egypt, Assyria and Babylon-they used their mastery of civil engineering to perfect the process. Aqueducts liberated Roman cities from a reliance on nearby water supplies and proved priceless in promoting public health and sanitation. First developed around 312 B.C., these engineering marvels used gravity to transport water along stone, lead and concrete pipelines and into city centers. None of these aquatic innovations would have been possible without the Roman aqueduct. The Romans enjoyed many amenities for their day, including public toilets, underground sewage systems, fountains and ornate public baths.