No. 4.] HIGHWAYS. 207 



Roman Roads. 

 One ancient race was pre-eminently distinguished as a great 

 road builder, — the Roman . The Appian Way, leading across 

 the Pontine marshes and thence southward through the 

 Italian peninsula, was the famous highwa}^ of the old world. 

 It still remains one of the most venerable and interesting 

 monuments of the classic age. It was begun tliree centu- 

 ries before the Christian era ; and in the golden days of 

 the empire was adorned with splendid mausoleums, statues 

 and monuments. Its name was as familiar, not only in 

 Italy, but also in the distant proviuces, as is that of Broad- 

 way to the average American citizen of to-day. Six other 

 great highways led from the Eternal City into different 

 parts of Italy, — the Via Latina toward the south, the Tibur- 

 tina and Valeria and Salaria eastward to the Adriatic, the 

 Flaminia and ^Emilia north-eastward to Milan and Trieste, 

 the Aurelian and Via Cassia northward to Geneva and Luna. 

 These were the seven great trunk lines of conquest and 

 commerce. They were interlaced by a stupendous net- 

 work of lesser ways or roads, Avhich brought the shepherds 

 of the lowlands and the mountaineers of the Apennines into 

 fellowship, and gradually fused the numerous and divergent 

 tribes of Italy into the Latin people. At a later period the 

 resources of the Roman treasury were heavily taxed for 

 the construction of those great military highways Avhich, as 

 the empire expanded, stretched themselves from Italy to all 

 parts of the world as it was then known. Through the 

 German forests into Gaul and the Iberian peninsula toward 

 the undiscovered north, eastward even into Asia and west- 

 ward in the distant isles of Britain the Roman military roads 

 everywhere resounded to the tramp of Rome's ever-con- 

 quering legions. Two thousand years have by no means 

 destroyed these indubitable tokens of national power. They 

 were built from the spoils of conquered nations, and cap- 

 tive races toiled and died in their construction. They ran 

 generally in straight lines and without much reference to 

 gradients, for vehicles were few. Over these great thor- 

 oughfares hurried both horse and foot, bcarinfir the Roman 



