Alexandria's founded by Alexander

Alexandria's founded by Alexander the Great (by year BC): 334 Alexandria in Troia (Turkey) - 333 Alexandria at Issus/Alexandrette (Iskenderun, Turkey) - 332 Alexandria of Caria/by the Latmos (Alinda, Turkey) - 331 Alexandria Mygdoniae - 331 Alexandria (Egypt) - 330 Alexandria Ariana (Herat, Afghanistan) - 330 Alexandria of the Prophthasia/in Dragiana/Phrada (Farah, Afghanistan) - 330 Alexandria in Arachosia (Kandahar, Afghanistan) - 330 Alexandria in the Caucasus (Begram, Afghanistan) - 329 Alexandria of the Paropanisades (Ghazni, Afghanistan) - 329 Alexandria Eschate or Ultima (Khodjend, Tajikistan) - 329 Alexandria on the Oxus (Termez, Afghanistan) - 328 Alexandria in Margiana (Merv, Turkmenistan) - 326 Alexandria Nicaea (on the Hydaspes, India) - 326 Alexandria Bucephala (on the Hydaspes, India) - 325 Alexandria Sogdia - 325 Alexandria Oreitide - 325 Alexandria in Opiene / Alexandria on the Indus (confluence of Indus & Acesines, India) - 325 Alexandria Rambacia (Bela, Pakistan) - 325 Alexandria Xylinepolis (Patala, India) - 325 Alexandria in Carminia (Gulashkird, Iran) - 324 Alexandria-on-the-Tigris/Antiochia-in-Susiana/Charax (Spasinou Charax on the Tigris, Iraq) - ?Alexandria of Carmahle? (Kahnu)

Saturday, January 19, 2019

How Roman roads led to the prosperity of Europe

The Romans were master builders and that included the roads, many of which have survived as such or simply by their itinerary.

The very first road the Romans built was the well-known Appian Way that connected Rome to Capua as early as 312 BC. Realizing the importance of moving troops quickly over all-weather roads through the Italic peninsula, the Via Appia was constructed that same year in order to link Rome to Brundisium, modern Brindisi. It was named after Appius Claudius, who was Consul of Rome at that time.

The success of the Via Appia was such that the road immediately became the model for all those built afterwards not only in Italy but all over the Roman Empire, i.e. from Hadrian’s Wall on the modern Scottish border all the way to Northern Africa and the Near East.

A team of Danish researchers took a very close look at the Roman network when it was at its greatest geographical extent in 117 AD and compared it with satellite images of modern Europe at night with astonishing results. As expected, the night view revealed that the most brightly illuminated spots corresponded to major cities, towns, and motorways. Overlaying the Roman network, it appeared, however, that modern road density went hand in hand with the Roman road density, meaning greater economic activity. This similarity is particularly striking for today’s capitals like London, Paris, and Rome, as well as for the densely populated Po Valley in Northern Italy.


Let us not forget that Roman cities and military outposts all over Europe needed to be reached quickly by the legions and only well-maintained and paved roads could ensure such fast moves of troops. At the same time, these roads were used for trade purposes which in turn led to a serious economic development that lasted even after the fall of the Roman Empire, and it is still strong two thousand years later.

It is not really surprising to notice that North Africa and the Middle East did not follow this trend because after the Romans left the area the roads were no longer maintained. The local tribes, abandoning horses and carts switched to camel caravans who moved outside the paved routes. As a consequence, no significant link between the old and modern infrastructure is left for us to see.

In Europe alone, the Roman network extended over 80,000 kilometers. Speed and travel comfort were important for the Romans in order to reach their base or battlefield and to connect with their colonies at the edge of the empire.  It is worth mentioning that roads also implied the construction of bridges, tunnels, and adequate drainage systems – logistics that have nothing to envy our modern communication system. An amazing facet of Roman history.

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