Introduction: Roads Were Designed to Connect People – Today as in Antiquity

Abstract

From the perspective of the ruling powers in the Ancient world, the strategic vision involved connecting collective communities, not merely linking different locations. Numerous examples show that the perception of “people” took precedence over places of belonging, to the extent that entire communities were often relocated to areas far from their original territory. This vision also prevailed in road construction. All great empires built robust road networks, recognizing the strategic role that communication played in consolidating unity among distant communities.