Roman Roads and Bridges Content from the guide to life, the
universe and everything  Roman Roads and Bridges  The Roman
Empire lasted from 31 BC to approximately 476 AD and extended
east to west from the area now known as Iran to France, and
north to south from the area now known as Great Britain to
Egypt. It was one of the most powerful civilisations ever, and
there were many skilled thinkers and doers in it which helped
the Roman Empire advance much further than any previous
civilisation had. Among their many achievements was the
development of well-designed roads and bridges, which allowed
the Romans to conquer new territories and establish successful
trade routes, as well as providing a way for people to travel
easily throughout the Empire.   The Romans built their roads and
bridges so that their military could travel faster than when
they did when they went over rough terrain. Also, with a such a
large empire, they needed a very orderly system of travel with
connected paths to ensure that soldiers wouldn