Historians from Stanford University (USA) have created the largest interactive map of the Roman Empire. In its heyday, this state covered an area of 2,750,000 square kilometers, covering most of Europe.
Thanks to this project, anyone around 200 AD can travel the world. The map contains 632 objects, including settlements and mountain passes.
The most interesting thing is that the map has a calculator with which you can calculate the duration and cost of the journey from one ancient city to another. It takes into account the season and mode of transport – on foot, on horseback, in an ox cart, with the help of a porter or in a private carriage.
You can also choose between the fastest, cheapest and shortest routes. There is also a filter that excludes certain rivers, seas or roads.
So, a trip from Londinium (pre-Roman London) to Rome (2,643 kilometers) in July would have taken 21 days. It would cost about 1031 denarii (ancient Roman silver coins). Here, historians give an example: At that time, unskilled workers earned one dinar a day. That is, almost three years of service. In total, the map’s road network is 192,810 kilometers long.
Source: Port Altele
